Family Blood Ties and Other Complications
by moonjat54
Summary: There is a commitment in France and the French family for Mick and Beth to meet.  What new drama may happen now?  This follows my stories...Cajun Consequences and Be But Sworn My Love.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. But here I am….back with another story. It is an addiction.**

**Hello again. I have returned to my first Moonlight universe. As I promised a commitment for Philippe and Cynthia…I must deliver. I have missed everyone and I hope that you haven't forgotten me.**

**Family Blood Ties and Other Complications**

Chapter 1

Beth opened the door to the loft apartment and entered after a long evening at the magazine. She had everything set for the next issue's publish date and now she was ready to leave for France and Philippe and Cynthia's commitment ceremony. The comfortable apartment she shared with Mick was quiet and at first she believed Mick was out on a case but then she spotted him in his office. Pausing in the doorway she observed him as he sat behind his desk, pensively studying his computer monitor.

Mick glanced up and smiled slightly as he motioned for her to enter.

"Hey babe, how were things at the magazine?" he asked as hazel eyes glowed in welcome.

"Good, I'm free to leave for France," she announced as she approached him. "What have you been up to?" Stopping alongside him, she peered curiously at the computer screen. A painting was displayed of seven people posed in an outdoor setting set sometime in the 1700s if she was right about the clothing they wore. Six men and a woman either sat or stood on the lawn of a manor home. Beth looked at Mick in confusion and then back at the screen, her eyes narrowing. "Is that Coraline?" she asked pointing at the woman seated on a chair.

"Yes…and all the brothers," Mick confirmed. He indicated the man holding Coraline's hand and smiling at her. "Recognize Philippe?"

"Oh my goodness, it is him," Beth exclaimed as she peered closer at the monitor. "Where did you get this?" she asked as she studied the image of her ancestor in old fashioned clothing and a powdered wig.

"Philippe sent this to us. He has owned the painting for decades and wanted us to see it. There is your family sweetheart," Mick replied and drew her down onto his lap.

"I'm only willing to acknowledge Philippe," Beth replied dryly.

"We are not allowed to choose our family my love," Mick chuckled.

"Careful handsome, you are just as entangled in this family, this bloodline as I am," she pointed out. "As much as you may wish to deny it, Coraline is your sire." She paused to nibble on her bottom lip. "Mick….are we making a mistake, putting ourselves within her sphere again?" she asked worriedly.

"Beth, she can't touch us anymore," Mick said softly. "I don't care what she says or does…..I don't love her. It's over."

Beth gazed deeply into the eyes of the man she loved with her whole soul. She did not doubt his word. The nagging fears left her as she saw in his gaze how much he loved her, Coraline could not come between them; she could not touch what they shared. Slowly her eyes wandered back to the painting, picking Lance out of the group.

"So these are the rest of the brothers. It is interesting that they were shown in an outdoor setting. Was this painted before or after they were turned?" she enquired.

"After. Philippe says it was painted that way to deflect any human's suspicions that they were different and to keep the questions about the family from being asked. The artist was very talented; this is a very good likeness according to Philippe. He said that Darius had him killed after the painting was finished to keep him from possibly telling their secret," Mick said in distaste.

"Ugh…." Beth said wrinkling her nose. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" She had not forgotten the cold, cruel creator of the French vampire family who had also sired Josef. A small shiver ran through her at the memory of how his pale eyes seemed to look straight through her.

Mick hugged her close and kissed her cheek.

"He's gone now sweetheart," he soothed.

"I know," Beth answered and looked at the painting again. "But how much of him survives inside those he has created? I do love Philippe and trust him but what about the others? Rayna has expressed some concern about Josef going to France. What if the others want some revenge for Darius' death?"

Beth and Rayna had discussed the trip and the possibility that Josef would face retaliation for killing their sire. While Philippe had assured them that there was no danger, Rayna still worried.

"I think that if they wanted revenge they would have come after Josef immediately. Lance is not the patient type from what we've seen. Philippe has given his word that the brothers are not looking for payback and Josef wants to go," Mick said, trying to reassure her.

"I do hope he is right," Beth said resting her head on Mick's shoulder. "Has Philippe given you names to go with these faces?"

"He did," Mick replied and began to point to each figure. "That is Andre and this is Raoul, the ones most like Lance in behavior and thinking. Not Josef's favorites if you haven't guessed. That one is Christophe and there is Marius. They were the ones, along with Philippe that Josef got along with the best."

"Well….." Beth sighed. "You know that family reunions are never smooth sailing." She gave him a small smile. "We do not have to stay long Mick. I do wish that Tyson and Savannah were joining us."

They had heard from Tyson earlier, who had explained that Savannah had made great strides in adapting to her undead status and she had finally gone back to work. The New Orleans police department was not willing to give her time off and she had used all her sick leave during her adjustment to her turning. Granny and Robert however were going to join them in France.

"It is remarkable how well Savannah has transitioned given how brutally things began for her," Mick reflected. Cassandra's cruel act of draining her to the point that Tyson was forced to turn her or lose her had worried Mick. His attitude towards his own vampirism had changed over the years with Beth and he had become comfortable enough to turn her a few years earlier but the circumstances of Savannah's turning had been particularly harsh.

"She is happy," Beth said softly, remembering her last phone conversation with her friend. Savannah was at peace with the change and had no regrets. "She really was ready for the change."

Mick leaned in and kissed her gently.

"I am glad she is doing so well," he told her. "I know that Tyson is relieved. I think it would have destroyed him if she had died or gone feral."

"They are perfect for each other and she has discovered the perks of being one of us," Beth agreed.

"Maybe we can arrange a stop in New Orleans when we return from France. I don't think it will be difficult to convince Josef to take a detour," Mick suggested.

"That would be lovely," Beth sighed.

"Then I will suggest it to him," Mick said before kissing her once again. His hands began to travel up her back and then along her sides…..stroking her skin under the edge of her shirt.

"Mr. St. John, are you seducing me?" Beth asked her voice rough.

"Yes Mrs. St. John, do you have a problem with that?"

"Goodness no, I just wanted to be sure we were on the same wave length," she giggled.

"Oh we are….we definitely are," Mick said holding her close and bringing his mouth down on hers.

*M*M*

Josef searched the house without success for Rayna when he came home from his office downtown. Finally he caught her scent floating in on the breeze from the patio. Stepping out into the cool of the night he found her sitting on a lounge chair, her knees drawn up to her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs.

"Beauty…are you hiding?" he asked softly.

"No, just thinking."

Josef walked over to her and took a seat on the chair next to her, gazing at her curiously. There was no mistaking the worry and concern that was consuming her.

"And just what are you thinking?" he enquired quietly.

"Maybe going to France is not a good idea," she said hesitantly. When she met Josef's eyes he could see how haunted her eyes were.

"And why would we back out of Philippe and Cynthia's commitment? I've promised to officiate," he asked.

"Because Lance or one of the others might want revenge for Darius' death. I don't think we should tempt fate," she explained.

Josef chuckled softly as he moved to sit beside her, his arm slipping around her shoulders.

"If they were pissed at me for killing Darius they would have come after me right away. Philippe has assured me that they have all benefited from his death even if they were not happy I caused it," Josef said confidently.

"Philippe doesn't' know all his brother's thoughts," Rayna protested. "He doesn't know what is in their hearts."

"Rayna my love, trust me. I am older than those French stiffs and I can handle them. I will not let Philippe down. And don't forget, Moriah and Robert will be there. We will not be outnumbered."

Rayna smiled hesitantly and leaned against him.

"I do trust you. And I know that our friends are more than enough to stand against that family. Granny alone is a force to be reckoned with at her age," she replied. "I just have a great deal of difficulty trusting anything that has to do with Coraline, Lance or the others."

"I am not a fool Beauty. We will be fine. Remember this is Beth's family and mine too in its own twisted way. I promise, everything will be fine," he assured her as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"I know…..I know," Rayna sighed. "I'm sorry my dear….it's just my vivid imagination in overdrive and some pre-travel nerves."

Josef turned her face to his and kissed her.

"I know just how to calm those nerves," he promised as he deepened the kiss.

End chapter.

**Well my dears…are you willing to take a trip to France with the gang? Reviews always feed the muse. Thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. But it sure is fun to still play with it after all this time.**

**Thank you to all who took time to read and review. I am so grateful you still like what I write. Shall we see what the French vamps think of Philippe and Cynthia's ceremony?**

Chapter 2

Philippe looked up from his computer screen as his office door slammed open; revealing his brother Lance followed by his other sibling Andre. A slightly shorter version of Lance, Andre's dark eyes were devoid of humor and his face set in a scowl.

"Well it seems that courtesy has become a forgotten practice in this family," Philippe sighed as Lance came to a stop on the opposite side of his desk, his expression grim. Andre hovered just off to the left of Lance, anger simmering beneath the surface. "What brings you two here?"

"Are you really planning to go through with this so-called commitment ceremony with Cynthia?" Lance demanded.

"I am," Philippe confirmed as he leaned back in his chair and smiled. "It's the end of the week. You are welcome to attend Lance."

"You truly intend to publicly tie yourself to that tramp and declare her a member of our family?" Andre sneered.

Philippe bounded to his feet, growling angrily while he vamped. He prepared to hurdle the desk but Lance held up one hand in warning as he pushed Andre back with his other.

"Andre, I warned you about name calling. We came here to discuss this calmly," Lance ordered sharply. "Philippe, sit down, we need to talk about this foolish decision of yours."

"I resent any implication that our commitment is a foolish decision. If you find our choice distasteful then don't attend," Philippe told Lance as he remained standing. Then he turned to his least favorite brother. "You are not welcome," he said angrily. "Just stay as far away from Cynthia and me as possible."

"Brothers….please. Enough of this fighting," Lance ordered firmly.

Philippe relaxed a bit but kept a close watch on both brothers. Andre backed off slightly but his fists were still balled tightly at his sides.

"Philippe, tell me, why this sudden need to revive this archaic custom that died out centuries ago?" Lance enquired.

"Because I want to show Cynthia how much she means to me. I have been careless with her love in the past and I want her to know how very much I do love her. Human customs do not hold the same meaning," Philippe explained. "Why does this concern you?"

"Think how this will look to the community," Lance said contemptuously.

"It will look like Cynthia and I are a devoted couple. Why would the rest of the community even care? I turned her, it should be no surprise that she is mine," Philippe answered as they anger crept back into his voice. He was sure he knew what was coming next.

"She was a serving wench, nothing more than a slut who slept her way into your good graces and convinced you to turn her. Isn't living with her enough, must you insult our bloodline by making your tie to her official?" Andre spit out in anger.

Again the vampire within Philippe rose again.

"You are an arrogant bastard with outdated ideas. Cynthia holds several doctorate degrees and is running a successful fragrance company. This is 2015 for heaven's sake, no one is impressed if we have royal blood…..the monarchy is dead you fool. I am proud of Cynthia and want her forever," Philippe stated passionately. His eyes narrowed as his voice dropped to a growl. "You have never gotten over the fact that she rejected your attentions as a fledgling and would not leave me for you. I know about your attempts to seduce her away from me. I know you wanted her….Jacques," he finished, using the name Cynthia had bestowed on Andre as an insult. Andre had tried to play on her fledgling emotions and take his brother's woman shortly after her turning. Philippe had taken Cynthia away from Paris and Andre's influence until she was stronger and Andre's interest had moved on to other things. Cynthia never forgave him and took to referring to him by the name of a mongrel dog that hung out in the stables. Andre never got over the insult.

"Don't ever call me that," Andre rumbled in anger as he gathered himself to charge his brother.

"Get out of my office," Philippe ordered trying to control his own anger. "I do not care what you think of my plan to commit to Cynthia on Friday night. Your feelings on the subject are not relevant. Join the 21st century and get a life. Stay out of mine and Cynthia's," he finished coldly.

Ander stood there in shock, amazed his little brother dared to stand up to him. Quiet, timid Philippe had changed since his trip to the United States almost seven year ago but he had not openly argued with Andre before.

Lance had watched the exchange between his brothers with interest. He had witnessed the change in Philippe when his little brother had stood up to Darius in Los Angeles. Even their sire had underestimated Philippe's new strength. Lance still harbored some deep resentment that his brother had sided with Josef and St. John but he had to admit that Philippe had been defending his descendant; Beth Turner. Andre's attitude towards Cynthia had unduly influenced Lance to come here this evening and now it was time to regain control of the situation.

"Andre go home, I can handle this," Lance ordered.

"Are you taking his side in this?" Andre sputtered in shock.

"I'm taking no sides," Lance said in irritation. "You are incapable of dealing with this calmly. I will finish this; you go home and cool off."

"If you insist," Andre said backing down. He rarely could stand against Lance and didn't oppose his brother's wishes. He glared at Philippe. "Commit to your little whore then. She will never be loyal," he taunted and stalked out.

Philippe stood stiffly, letting his vampire cool. He then returned his attention to his oldest brother surprised by the almost friendly expression on Lance's face.

"Tell me Lance…..is it really so important to stop my commitment to Cynthia? I've loved her since before I turned her and you've never expressed any objection before," Philippe inquired.

"Who will preside over this little ceremony of yours?" Lance asked, not answering Philippe's question.

"I've asked Josef. After all, he is the eldest of our family," he responded, enjoying the look of dismay that crossed Lance's face.

"Kostan is coming here?"

"Well it has been a long time since he has set foot in Europe. Don't you think it's time he came home? Mick, Beth and Josef's lady, Rayna will be with him. And Lance…you remember Moriah Fontenez, don't you? She is invited as well," Philippe added with a grin.

Lance winced at the memory of the strong, black woman who had treated him with great distain in Rome in the mid 1700s. She had not shown him the respect that Lance felt he deserved being of royal blood. He had been insulted that a woman of color, who should be treated as a slave had dared to talk back to him. Her age and power had made him back down when he challenged her.

"You intend to insult your own blood with this guest list, don't you?" Lance said tightly.

"You forget Lance, Beth is our blood, mine in fact. And Mick is family through Coraline, even though he hates to admit it. I consider them my family as much as you are and I will not deny them. Isn't it time to make peace brother?" Philippe asked gently.

"I have no desire to make peace with any of them," Lance said shortly. "You forget that Josef killed Darius."

"And Darius gave him no choice. Lance, you know Darius was mad. His lust for power would have smothered all of us sooner or later. Don't deny that your own life has improved now that you are out from under his thumb. We are all better off without him."

"Philippe, he was our father," Lance said in disbelief.

"He was our sire, our creator. There was nothing fatherly about him," Philippe corrected. "It is time to put Darius in the past, where he belongs."

"Perhaps you can forget what you owe him but I cannot. But enough of that for now," Lance said and gave him an amused look. "Have you given any consideration to the problems your guest list presents?"

"As long as Andre remains absent, I see no problems," Philippe said mildly.

"And what of our sister?" Lance asked with a harsh laugh. "Do you not see the danger of inviting Beth and St. John here, to France? Or are you excluding Coraline from the ceremony as well?" he inquired curiously.

"Coraline is Cynthia's oldest and dearest friend, of course she is invited. As for Mick and Beth, it is time that Coraline put that in the past. She was present for their commitment, she knows he has moved on," Philippe reasoned.

"And you are sure that our sister has accepted that fact?" Lance asked skeptically.

"She told Cynthia she has. I know she still believes that she loves Mick but she must move on as well. Continuing to insist that he will come back to her is only hurting her and she has to let it go," Philippe stated. He couldn't shake his own doubts that Coraline had not moved on but Cynthia assured him that Coraline would not ruin their day. He would continue to hope that his beloved sister would finally let go of her obsession with Mick St. John.

"Well I wish you luck in your effort to help her move on," Lance chuckled. "You know our Coraline; she is a headstrong one and is not easily guided. Even Darius could not break her desire to possess St. John." His expression softened and he gave Philippe a genuine smile. "Have your commitment to Cynthia, you have my blessing. I have always liked her and I believe she has made you a stronger vampire. I cannot bring myself to welcome Josef back into the fold but I have no intention of ruining your ceremony."

"Thank you Lance. We would be honored if you attended but I understand if you cannot face Josef," Philippe could not resist making it a challenge.

"I am not afraid of Josef Kostan…..or of anyone. I will consider your invitation." He paused and smiled thinly. "This might be a very entertaining evening after all." He nodded to his brother and turned and left.

**So we know that Lance will be in attendance. We will see how many of the others show up. Thank you for reading. Reviews are gratefully accepted and responded to.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. And I don't care what WB thinks anymore…..I am claiming it.**

**Thanks for the lovely reactions to this story. You have no idea how much reviews make a writer happy. I am so lucky to have you.**

Chapter 3

"So, have you memorized your speech yet?" Mick asked Josef, as he coolly sunk the final ball on the pool table. "You just don't fit my idea of a minister."

"That's because there is nothing religious about this, my boy," Josef grinned and took a swallow of his scotch. "And yes, I do have some idea what I am going to say."

Mick and Josef were enjoying a few games of pool while Rayna and Beth discussed their clothing choices for the trip. Josef was sure that shopping would be on the agenda once they reached Paris. While he might grumble about Rayna's addiction to shopping, he would do anything to make her happy. It had been a relief to see her snap out of the depressed, anxious mood she had been in the day before.

"How does it feel to be heading back to Europe after all this time?" Mick inquired.

"I'm looking forward to it," Josef said confidently. "But please don't expect me to be much of a tour guide; I've been gone too long. I do remember my way around the Duvall manor house but somehow I don't think Lance will be inviting us to brunch."

"Both Beth and Rayna are concerned that some of the brothers still harbor thoughts of revenge," Mick said mildly.

"I know…..Beauty clued me in on that last night. I'm not worried about it Mick. They've always known where I am. If revenge was on their minds they would have come after me before this," Josef said dismissively.

"That doesn't mean that they might not avail themselves of the opportunity once you are there," Mick suggested, watching his friend closely.

"I doubt it. I am sure they will express their displeasure verbally but they won't take action. I will be surprised if Lance, Raoul and Andre even attend the commitment. Andre has never been Philippe's favorite and Cynthia hates him with a passion. I'm sure she has banned Jacques from the ceremony," Josef chuckled.

"Jacques?" Mick asked in confusion.

"That is Cynthia's nickname for Andre when he attempted to seduce her away from Philippe two months after her turning. I think Andre always coveted her but waited for someone else to turn her so he wouldn't have the responsibilities of a sire. He thought her heightened passions as a fledgling would lead her right into his bed," Josef explained.

"Why the name Jacques?"

"There was a nasty dog in the stables that no one liked but no one bothered to kill that Marius named Jacques. Cynthia took to calling Andre that and it stuck. He hated it," Josef laughed. "I would advise not using the name if you happen to meet Andre."

"Noted," Mick nodded with a grin. "I've been on the receiving end of Cynthia's displeasure. She did not want Coraline to marry me; she had a way with an insult."

"And how are you with the thought of seeing the ex again?" Josef asked with raised eyebrows.

"I try not to think about it. Beth and I know she'll be present, we'll deal with it," Mick replied with a shrug.

"You are a brave man," Josef said, saluting him with his drink.

Mick nodded and took a swallow of his own drink. He was beyond caring what Coraline said or did anymore. In his mind and heart he was finished with Coraline and there was nothing she could do to win him back. He knew she might not be done trying but she would never win. Beth was the only woman he loved.

In Rayna's office/sanctuary, she and Beth were enjoying a glass of wine and talking fashion while the men played pool.

"We are going shopping in Paris," Rayna said, her grey eyes glowing. "I have to find something for next New Year's Eve. Josef wants to throw a vampire party to ring in the New Year."

"Well then I need to shop too," Beth grinned. "You're not the only one who will be in a French gown."

"Well that will be one good reason to make this trip," Rayna said becoming serious.

"Are you still worried about Josef going to Paris?" Beth commented.

"I think I will always worry," Rayna admitted. "I love him and I can't help worrying that someone in that family might hurt him."

Beth sat silent for a moment. She had only met Philippe, Lance and Coraline from the French blood line, and while she was aware that they were her relatives, she was not sure how she felt about them. Yes, the blood line was diluted over the many years but if you counted her actual blood tie to Philippe and the fact that Coraline sired Mick and Mick sired her, then she had a deep connection to them. It was an unsettling feeling.

Rayna realized what her thoughtless words might have implied to Beth. She looked at her dearest friend in distress.

"I'm sorry Beth. I keep forgetting that they are really your family as well," she apologized quickly.

"Only Philippe," Beth stressed. "I'm not sure I want any other connection with the others."

"But I need to think before I speak. Especially once we are in France," Rayna said with an embarrassed smile. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Beth's feelings.

"It's okay Rayna. I'm not sure how I feel about my connection to this family," Beth reassured her. "I am not excited about meeting the others based on my experiences with Coraline and Lance. I wish we had more knowledge of how many of the others think like Darius."

"Well at least Granny and Robert will be there to even the odds," Rayna reflected.

"They will do that," Beth agreed. "Granny is older than all of them. I wish that Tyson and Savannah would be there too."

"Tyson has his hands full with Savannah going back to work," Rayna said with a faint smile. "He worries about her adjusting still."

"Savannah didn't say anything about Tyson being worried," Beth said in surprise. She had not picked up on any conflict between Savannah and her sire.

"He's trying to keep it from her. He has concerns about her partner being overly curious but he has not shared that with her," Rayna laughed. "He is going through his protective sire phase."

"I remember those days," Beth giggled.

Rayna nodded seriously.

"Mick seemed to handle your change well. Tyson is concerned because Chaz is smart; he's a detective after all. He's bound to notice the changes in her. This return to work may have been a mistake," she replied.

"No, her career is important to Savannah," Beth protested. "Has anyone thought that maybe Chaz can be trusted?"

"That will ultimately come down to what Granny and Tyson believe. We don't make that call."

"Well we know that Granny will have an opinion. She will let us know what the cards say," Beth grinned. "Mick agrees with me that a stop in New Orleans on the way home from France would be nice."

Rayna's eyes lit up at that suggestion.

"Oh that would be fun," she said in delight. "I can help talk Josef into that."

"You don't think that he will mind?" Beth said and then scented the guys out in the hallway.

"He will agree, I can promise you that," Rayna said, aware that Josef was right outside the room listening.

"Just what am I agreeing to?" Josef stated as he and Mick entered the room. He had heard the discussion but enjoyed seeing Rayna look uncomfortable to have been overheard. Mick just grinned from behind him.

"You heard….we want to stop in New Orleans on the way home," Rayna said smiling sweetly. She rose to her feet and hurried over to him, throwing her arms around Josef's neck. "Isn't that a wonderful idea?"

"I don't think I dare say no," Josef laughed. "I like that idea very much. We can check out the newbie and see if her human partner is staying in line."

"You don't dare do anything against Chaz," Rayna cautioned quickly.

"My protective Beauty, I have no plans to touch him. I won't need to…..if Tyson suspects he is a threat to his Savannah he will take him out on his own."

"I think that Chaz can handle our secret," Beth spoke up. "He cares about Savannah….he won't betray her."

"Well aren't you the cheery optimist?" Josef said with a look at Beth. "My dear, not every human is as understanding as you and Savannah were. Not everyone is trustworthy."

"I am aware of that Josef," Beth said in annoyance. "I remember the Watts' cousins and I know what evil resides in some humans. But I do not believe Savannah's partner in untrustworthy and I think I am a good judge of character. After all…..I did recognize that Mick could never be the monster he believed he was."

Josef looked at her in surprise and Mick stifled a small chuckle. He loved how his Beth stood up to the older vampire. There was no arguing with her when she was on a crusade. Josef inclined his head in respect to Beth and smiled.

"I keep forgetting how impassioned you are when on a mission. I will withhold judgment on the human until we can talk to Tyson and Moriah. It is not our problem," Josef agreed.

"So, we are going to stop by the Big Easy?" Rayna said hopefully.

"Yes, I think I will call Moriah and see if she and Robert would like a ride to Europe. That would make the most sense if we are going to stop there on the way home. And I think that perhaps arriving all together might be the wisest move when dealing with this family," Josef said with a smile and kissed his lady.

End chapter.

**It appears our group is ready to head the France. And I have set up the follow up story to this one. Pack your bags….this may take a while before we get back to LA. Thank you for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. At this point I think it belongs to all of us but I am not ready to get into a legal battle with anyone so I will just say it's not mine.**

**Thank you for reading. I am so glad there is still an interest out there for my story telling.**

Chapter 4

Cynthia was curled up on a sofa, reviewing her flower order for the ceremony when Coraline breezed into her parlor.

"Hello, what brings you by this evening?" Cynthia asked with a warm smile.

"We need to talk dearest," Coraline cooed.

Cynthia sat up straighter, instantly alerted by the syrup sweet tone of Coraline's voice. When she adopted that attitude it usually signaled trouble.

"I am still invited to your commitment, aren't I?" the brunette said bluntly as she sank into a chair close by.

"Of course you are. Why would you think you weren't?" Cynthia asked in puzzlement.

Coraline let her gaze wander the beautifully decorated room before meeting Cynthia's concerned eyes.

"Lance told me I might no longer be welcome," Coraline huffed.

"And why would Lance say that? He is not in control of our guest list, "Cynthia said in annoyance.

"You are inviting Mick and Beth. And I am sure that you have included that peasant woman that Josef has tied himself to," Coraline pouted. "Lance suggested that I might no longer to be welcome."

Shaking her head, Cynthia sighed and rubbed her temples. All ready Andre had expressed his displeasure with their ceremony and now Lance was trying to sow discord between her and Coraline. She did not appreciate Philippe's brother's interference and did not like how Lance played on Coraline's insecurities.

"Coraline my dear, I invited you and I have no intention of withdrawing my invitation. Yes, Mick, Beth, Josef and Rayna are invited as well but you knew that. Josef is conducting the commitment and you know that Rayna would come with him. She is a very nice person Coraline, please get past your dislike of her," Cynthia chided. "You have been aware from the beginning that Philippe wants Beth here. You told me this would not be an issue."

An exasperated sigh escaped Coraline and her dark eyes were troubled.

"Why does everyone assume I will cause trouble?" she sulked.

"Because when it comes to Mick St. John, you don't take no for an answer," Cynthia said gently. "My dearest, he's moved on and so must you."

Coraline nibbled on her lower lip. Everyone kept telling her to move on; none of them knew how very difficult it was to forget about Mick. It had been easier, being here in Europe but now she would see him again…with Beth by his side. Knowing she still desired him hurt deeply but she refused to humble herself in front of everyone again. She would not beg him to love her especially in front of her brothers.

The concern and caring in Cynthia's eyes snapped her out of her self-centered thoughts, reminding her that this was her best friend's special night coming up. Coraline had no desire to ruin things for Cynthia and Philippe, no matter what they had always loved her. She smiled brightly at her soon to be sister.

"I swear I will not cause trouble Cynthia," she said honestly. "Mick has made it very clear that he no longer cares for me, I understand Beth has taken his last name. I will not lower myself to beg him to come back to me….not again," she added stiffly.

Cynthia rose to her feet and went to Coraline, taking her hands in hers. It pained her to see how Coraline still clung to her feelings for St. John.

"I'm sorry you can't let go of how you feel about him. He didn't deserve you. There are so many other men in the world, let him go," Cynthia advised her. "He has committed to Beth; he won't come back to you. Haven't you let him hurt you long enough?" While Cynthia liked Mick and Beth these days….she still found it so difficult to see her dearest friend eaten up by this hopeless love. She remembered when Coraline had first found Mick and knew the brunette was making a big mistake in how she handled him.

Nodding slightly, Coraline rose to her feet and hugged Cynthia tightly. She wished she could close off her feelings for Mick but that was impossible. However, she meant what she had said; she would not disrupt the commitment ceremony.

"Don't worry Cynthia; your night will be perfect. I will not be the one causing any scene at the ceremony."

"I know you won't," Cynthia smiled. "Finally we will truly be sisters. I want you by my side when I commit to Philippe."

"My brother is a lucky man," Coraline told her. "Now, what can I do to help make your night special?"

*M*M *

A few hours later Philippe returned home to find Cynthia out on the terrace of their Paris home. She sat on a gliding love seat, sipping wine and gazing at the stars. It was a peaceful home, out on the edge of the city, away from the lights and noise of the humans.

"Hello beautiful how was your evening?" he asked, kissing her forehead and going to pour a glass for himself.

"It was fine. Coraline stopped by earlier. Lance told her she might not be welcome at our commitment," she informed him.

"Mon Dieu…..must I fight my whole family because of our commitment?" he groaned in frustration. "Does everyone wish to cause trouble for us?"

Cynthia smiled sympathetically at him. She knew how it hurt him to have his brothers' disapproval hanging over his plans. He had been aware that his guest list would raise some eyebrows but he had hoped that they would just accept it quietly. She couldn't help but be proud of how strong he had become in the last few years and she was impressed with his resolve to go ahead no matter how the family felt.

"No, I 'm sure they don't all disapprove. Who cares what Lance thinks? I have assured Coraline that she is welcome and everything is fine," she answered and patted the seat beside her. He returned to her side and seated himself, taking her hand in his. Raising it to his lips, he kissed her fingers.

"And will my little sister behave herself?"

"She has promised me that she will not cause a scene," Cynthia responded. "She does not want to humiliate herself in front of everyone, certainly not in front of Beth and Rayna again. I believe her."

"I wish she could forget about Mick and find someone who would treasure her," Philippe sighed sadly.

"That is my wish as well," Cynthia agreed, leaning against him. "I don't know who could banish Mick from her heart; she doesn't want to let him go."

"My stubborn little sister. If you believe she won't make trouble, I trust your judgment. And I will speak to Lance; he led me to believe he approved of our ceremony. If he has changed his mind I will rescind his invitation."

Cynthia shifted to look at him in concern.

"Oh my love, this was never supposed to cause such trouble with the family. I'm sorry," she said softly. "What have the others said?"

"Marius is thrilled for us and Christophe and Michelle are happy to attend. Raoul has not stated his opinion one way or the other. I believe he is waiting to follow Lance's lead."

"Always the dutiful brother," Cynthia muttered.

"Some things never change," Philippe agreed with a nod. "My family was never easy, even when we were human."

"And yet I still wished to be part of it," Cynthia said coyly and batted her eyes at him. She giggled as Philippe leaned down to kiss her warmly.

"And that is why I love you," he informed her. "I promise our night will be wonderful. Those who do not approve will be asked to stay home. We do not need them to be witnesses to our promises."

"My strong love and sire," Cynthia said softly. "I do admire the man you have become. You tracked me to Canada and made me listen to you. I always knew you had the strength to be your own man and not a puppet to your older brothers. I adore you." She set her glass down and took his face in her hands, kissing him deeply.

Philippe responded, knowing that having her with him had made him break away from the influence of his family. He had loved her for so many years and now they would have forever together.

*M*M*

The following evening Mick and Beth met Josef and Rayna at LAX's private jet hangers. As the crew loaded the luggage, the four vampires got comfortable on board.

"Next stop is New Orleans and after that, Paris France," Josef announced with a grin.

Beth laughed at his enthusiasm but couldn't help noticing that Rayna did not share Josef's delight.

"Enough fanfare Josef. As much as I wish to support Cynthia and Philippe, this may not be as much of a pleasure trip as you envision. I still don't trust the rest of this family," Mick stated. He too had noticed Rayna's subdued look.

"Lighten up Mick," Josef admonished. He sat on one of the couches and patted the spot beside him. "Come on Rayna love, sit. We will be taking off soon; you and Mick worry too much. This will be fine."

Rayna did as instructed and Josef slipped an arm around her shoulders to comfort her. Mick and Beth sat on the opposite couch and fastened their seat belts as the jet engines rumbled to life.

Once the plane was in the air, Josef's two flight attendants appeared with four glasses and a bottle of champagne. Seat belts had been unfastened and Josef popped the cork, pouring the sparkling wine into the flutes. After everyone's had been filled he lifted his glass in a salute.

"To a grand adventure and a wonderful reunion with old friends," he declared. He saw the doubt still lingering in Rayna's grey eyes. "Trust me my love; this will be a wonderful trip. I promise."

End chapter.

**There you have it…..we are on our way. All those who believe Coraline will behave, raise your hands. And is she the only one who might cause some trouble? Thank you for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. Nope, never have and most likely never will.**

**Thank you for reading my story to this point. I apologize for being a bit slow on the posting….I had another project to finish but now I can concentrate on my first love.**

Chapter 5

A few hours later they landed at the New Orleans airport. The jet taxied to a stop at the gate for privately owned aircraft and moments later one of the pilots came back to where they were all seated.

"Mr. Kostan, we've received a request call from a Ms Fortuna. She has asked for your party to join them in the lounge for a moment," he told Josef.

The four exchanged confused looks as they got to their feet.

"I'm sure Moriah has a very good reason, you know she has a flair for the dramatic," Josef said with a shrug and a smile. "Let's take a moment to see what she wants."

The group found Robert and Moriah waiting at the entrance to the lounge.

"Welcome back friends," Granny said with a smile, her arms thrown wide to greet them.

"Well look at you….." Rayna said in delight as she ran to hug the black woman. All of Granny's voodoo trappings had vanished and had been replaced with a stylish black tailored suit, her pencil skirt showing off long shapely legs. Only her gold bangle bracelets and large hoop earrings were a reminder of her former persona.

"I am a business woman now, I must look the part," Granny smiled.

"I guess we should drop the Granny nickname," Josef chuckled as he kissed her cheek. "You certainly do not look like one now."

"Moriah has done a wonderful job of reinventing herself," Robert said proudly.

"You will always be Granny to me," Rayne grinned. "But I must say I like your new look."

"Everyone must change with time," Moriah smiled as she smoothed her jacket. "And that brings us to why we asked you to join us. There is a change that we feel you should know about before we fly to France."

"What is that?" Mick asked first, he looked from her to Robert.

"They should be here….." Moriah began, just as Anthony and Charity came running into the room from the main part of the airport terminal.

"Damn security…" Anthony exclaimed. "Sorry we are late."

Rayna's grey eyes lit up at the sight of her dear friend. The happy glow on Charity's face gave her a hint of what was to come.

"Are you…..." she asked, glancing from the woman back to Anthony.

"Yes, we are getting married," Anthony confirmed.

"Oh that is wonderful," Rayna said happily, wrapping first Charity in a hug and then embracing Anthony. Her grip on her long time companion was tight.

"Uh….Ray….too tight," Anthony gasped.

"Sorry…sorry," Rayna apologized quickly as she released him.

"When is the happy day?" Beth asked, taking her turn at offering her congratulations to the couple.

"We were thinking of having it right after you come back from France. We want something small and intimate and knowing you'll be stopping back here, it should be the perfect time," Charity told them.

"Perfect," Rayna echoed. She turned a dazzling smile on Josef. "See, our plan to stay for a bit on our return was fate. This is ideal."

"Yes Beauty, it's fate," Josef chuckled. "I wish we could stay and discuss plans but we do have a flight plan to stick to and we need to get in the air."

It pleased Josef to see the joy on Rayna's face. All concerns for what they might run into in France had fled her mind and she was caught up in the joy of this news.

"Of course," Rayna agreed. As much as she would have preferred to stay and make plans with the couple, she knew that they had other friends waiting for them in Europe. "But I will be calling to find out how your plans are going," she told Charity. "Let me know if there is anything I can get you."

"We've discussed this with Moriah so she can bring you up to speed," Anthony said. "Enjoy your trip and give our best to Philippe and Cynthia. We will celebrate when you return."

Once more everyone congratulated the couple and then headed back to the plane. Rayna happily linked arms with Beth as they went down the ramp.

"Now we have some serious shopping to do in Paris," she said in a low voice.

When the plane had once more risen into the night sky, Beth moved over to sit next to Moriah who had Rayna on her other side. Concern was etched on Beth's face.

"Granny…..since they were not at the airport tonight, is everything okay with Savannah and Tyson? I have spoken to Savannah on the phone recently and she sounds happy….but I know she has to find some adjustments difficult. How are things with her partner?"

Moriah smiled, she was always touched by how concerned Beth was for her friend. Everything about this young woman pleased her.

"Savannah is so like you Beth. You both were so open to our world and your love for your men made the transition successful," she assured her. "Savannah is doing beautifully and she is happy to be back at work. Her partner is a smart human and Tyson is concerned about him. They are both working tonight or they would have been there to say hello. "

"My feeling is that Chaz could be trusted," Rayna spoke up. "He cares about Savannah…..we could see that when she was turned. What have your cards told you Granny?"

"The cards do not indicate a crisis. I believe that Chaz is destined to learn our secret. He works too closely with Savannah to be kept in the dark. How he deals with the reality remains to be seen and we will deal with it when the time comes."

"Any threat to Savannah and Tyson will step in whether she likes it or not," Josef commented from the other side of the jet.

"Tyson has been a remarkably calm sire," Robert observed. "His fledgling is very strong willed yet they seem to make it work. Savannah has not insisted on having a separate space as of yet."

"They are right for each other," Mick stated quietly.

"Yes, they are," Moriah agreed with a nod.

"Speaking of being made for each other…..when did this happen with Charity and Anthony?" Rayna asked. "I spoke to him a week ago and he never breathed a word to me."

"They came to me two days ago," Moriah answered. "Charity wants a simple ceremony in my backyard at sunset. When they knew you would be stopping on your way home they decided now would be the right time."

Rayna's became misty eyed at Moriah's words.

"All I have ever wanted was for Anthony to be happy. Mary's death almost destroyed him and just before she died she made me promise not to let him bury his heart with her. She did not want me to be his only companion. Charity is so good for him," she said to the others, her voice catching as she spoke.

Granny wrapped an arm around Rayna's shoulders and hugged her.

"They will be happy, the cards say so. Tyson is pleased as well. He has always carried such guilt for not loving Charity the way she had hoped he would. Life does have its way of finding balance," she assured Rayna.

Nodding, Rayna blinked back tears and smiled radiantly. She had loved Mary Yale and had taken her vow to the woman seriously. She knew that somewhere in heaven the woman's soul was happy that her Anthony would have a second chance at love.

"And what about this ceremony we are heading to France to witness? Has Philippe indicated what they have planned?" Robert asked as he sipped a glass of blood.

"He has not said much," Mick admitted. "But he did promise it would be entertaining."

"Oh the Duvall's do know how to be entertaining," Josef assured them. "You've met Coraline; expect drama because some of the brothers are very much like her."

"I'm not sure I'm looking forward to seeing Lance again," Mick muttered. "I did stake him the last time we met." He remembered the anger that had burned in the vampire's one good eye. That was not something a person forgot easily.

"He deserved it," Rayna retorted with an angry gleam in her eyes.

"Personally I can't wait to see Lance again," Moriah stated, remembering the rude treatment she had been subjected to when she last encountered the vampire so many centuries ago. In spite of her older age, Lance had arrogantly dismissed her because of her sex and her skin color. She intended to show him how wrong he was to have behaved that way. There would be no tolerating that attitude this time around.

"It is a different era, my angel," Robert reminded her. "Lance will behave himself this time."

"They aren't all like Lance and Coraline. Well…..Raoul and Andre are but Christophe was always pleasant and Marius is very much like Philippe," Josef said with a smile. "Let's not get all gloomy." He glanced meaningfully at Rayna, worried that she would slip back into her depressed mood. "This is a celebration we are attending, not a funeral. And this family is not all powerful."

A moment of silence followed his words and then Beth rose to go sit next to Mick. She stretched up to kiss his cheek.

"Don't worry…Uncle Lance and the rest of my French family will behave themselves," she promised with a wicked grin. "If they try to disrupt Philippe's ceremony they will discover that this branch of the family tree is capable of causing a scene as well. I will not sit back and let them ruin the commitment." A small growl escaped her.

"Like I said….expect some drama," Josef chuckled. "I think I am going to like this party."

End chapter.

**See, I have set up the sequel to this story all ready. Somehow Moonlight ideas keep popping into my head. I hope that you are looking forward to the arrival in Paris; this is going to be a different commitment from the others I have written. Thank you for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I still like playing with the characters and plan to continue doing so.**

**Thank you for the reviews. I am so glad that there are still readers out there. I have not been able to cure that darn review addiction I have. **

Chapter 6

The long flight over the Atlantic allowed the vampires on board to take turns napping in the two freezers that were in place. The temperature in the rest of the cabin was kept low for the comfort of the other vampires but not too low to cause the few humans on board to be uncomfortable. Josef always insisted on having the jet stocked with fresh bottled blood for his trips so his flight attendants could perform their duties and not have to be weakened by donating. While his jet was large, it did not have the space to include a group of freshies to travel with them. Moriah and Robert were the last to take a short nap in the freezers as the flight got closer to their destination.

*M*M*

Waiting at Charles de Gaulle airport, Cynthia watched Philippe pace the waiting room in the VIP lounge for private aircraft. He had at first encouraged her to go out on the town with Coraline…..hoping to keep his sister occupied but she has insisted there was no reason to be concerned about Coraline. She knew that he worried about how unpredictable Coraline was but Cynthia had faith that her friend would not show up at the airport. With the announcement of the arrival of Josef's jet, she rose and joined him at the windows overlooking the gate area. She linked her arm through his and watched the sleek craft come to a stop down below.

The combined wealth and influence of Josef, Robert and Moriah smoothed the way through customs and in short order the luggage was cleared to be loaded in Philippe's supplied transport and the new arrivals went up to join their hosts.

"Welcome…." Philippe announced as they approached. He hugged each in turn, saving Beth for last. He gathered her tightly into a welcoming embrace. "Welcome my petite," he whispered in her ear.

"Oh Grandpere, it is so wonderful t see you. You look so happy," Beth responded kissing his cheek.

"And Cynthia, you are positively glowing," Rayna commented. "I cannot wait to see what you have planned for your big night."

Cynthia smiled but did not let slip any of her plans for the ceremony.

"Once we get home we will fill you in," she said coyly. "It is just wonderful to see all of you. I am excited to play host to you for a change."

Philippe directed the group to a limousine waiting for them right ahead of the second vehicle filled with their luggage. The small caravan pulled out of the airport and into the late day traffic, transporting them to the outskirts of the city, to the lovely home that Philippe and Cynthia shared. It was not the size of Josef and Rayna's Nachthafen in New Orleans but it was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate the three couples from the US.

Recalling that he had bragged to these men that his commitment would put Josef's to shame, he knew he would now be called on to deliver. He was not sure if it would outshine Josef's or Mick's but it certainly would be different, memorable even. The one fear that nagged at him was the thought that his family would step in and ruin things. He had liked Cynthia's ideas from the start and he wanted everything to be perfect for her.

Once they arrived home, they gave an informal tour of the house while the small staff unloaded the luggage. Beth looked around in surprise, taking in the modern décor of the house with only a few pieces that spoke to the long lives of the home's inhabitants. Cynthia noticed the puzzled look on Beth's face as they all settled in the large living room that overlooked beautiful gardens.

"You look puzzled Beth, is something wrong?" she inquired.

"No, I guess I was expecting something more "Old World", more reflective of the past," Beth tried to explain, feeling embarrassed.

"That would be our country house," Philippe explained with a smile. The Chateau is more reflective of our old life."

"And that brings us to the theme of our commitment," Cynthia added with a delighted smile. "We wish to take a step back into the past…..to our beginnings."

An amused chuckle came from Moriah as she looked at Mick and Beth.

"Our younger members will find this entertaining," she said.

Mick looked at the others in confusion.

"The fashions of the French court in the 1700s should suit Mick," Josef teased. "The buckle shoes and breeches will be interesting, not to mention seeing him in silk stockings. Are we going all in and be wearing the wigs as well?"

At Mick's horrified expression Philippe tried to stifle a laugh, coughing slightly with the effort.

"No…not the wigs. Mick, just think of it as a costume party, it will be great fun," he said trying to ease Mick's fears.

"I've been collecting outfits from costume companies," Cynthia added. "So many of the materials from the dresses have not held up over the centuries but these will look just like the fashion of those days. You will love the beautiful gown I've picked out for Beth to wear, she will be breathtaking," she told Mick.

Seeing the pleased glow in Beth's eyes made Mick realize that there were advantages to this plan and he was willing to go along with it and not ruin things for everyone. The thought of wearing silk stockings and short pants would be worth the vision of Beth in a full skirted ball gown looking like a princess.

"Will the commitment take place at your country house?" Rayna asked. She was intrigued by the thought of returning to the clothing of her human days as well. Her human life had not been one of wealth but after meeting Josef, she had had the luxury of dressing in finer things and this would be a lovely party.

"We will go there on Thursday, it will be the perfect setting for the ceremony," Philippe confirmed.

"I always did admire the elegance of that era," Moriah said with a smile. "Yours will be a memorable commitment. I wasn't often included in the fancy doings back then, it was not my place in society. I will enjoy being invited to the ball for once." She smiled at Robert. "I remember how dashing you looked in your finery when we first met."

"I did cut quite the figure in those days. Owning one of the biggest plantations in the New Orleans area did call for throwing some wonderful parties. Even for the New World, we did know how to enjoy the nicer things in life," Robert confirmed.

"I think it will be fun," Rayna beamed. "I haven't forgotten how handsome Josef looked during our days in Charleston society. We had a lovely time back then."

"Until the good Reverend Collins took an interest in our eating habits," Josef said dryly. "Talk about torch bearing mobs….we had to leave everything behind, including most of our money."

"We escaped, that is all that matters," Rayna said softly, kissing his cheek.

"And that is why I prefer today's technology and electronic banking," Josef grinned impishly.

"I have no doubt you found a way to replace that money within a year," Mick laughed.

"Damn straight I did," Josef said indignantly. "Those Colonials were putty in my hands."

"That's my man, always landing on his feet," Rayna said batting her eyelashes at Josef.

"How does it feel to be back on European soil Josef?" Cynthia asked. "What do you think of modern Paris?"

"From what I have seen…I am thankful that you still have the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame for landmarks, so much has changed," Josef replied quietly. "I should never have let Darius frighten me into staying away. I should have stood up to him."

"You would never have survived at that time," Philippe said seriously. "I know I would not have been strong enough to stand with you."

"All things happen in their proper time and place," Moriah told the others. "If you had challenged Darius back then you might not have lived to come to America and you would not have met Rayna. Everything happens for a reason," she assured him.

"And you would never have met Mick and me," Beth grinned.

"Where would I be without you two," Josef replied, trying to be serious and unable to keep the smile off his lips. "I will not complain about my life, it has been a good one thus far."

"Well tonight Philippe plans to show you gentlemen a few of the entertainment spots in Paris if you are not too tired," Cynthia announced with a wicked grin. "I have arranged for us ladies to visit some of the fashion houses. Does this meet with your approval?"

"That is wonderful," Rayna said eagerly.

"Thank you Cynthia, I think that is a great idea. You did not have to go to all that trouble," Beth added.

"It was no trouble; my fragrance company is a sponsor of several of the shows during fashion week. They were thrilled to help me and knowing that my guests were part of the US media, I am sure that they see a chance to expand their connections," Cynthia replied.

"We are always willing to listen to profitable suggestions," Moriah said pleasantly. "And I am happy to be able to expand my new wardrobe."

"Everyone knows how Rayna loves to shop," Josef teased. "Cynthia, make sure that my Beauty gets to see everything she wants."

"I will," the French vamp promised.

"And where are we headed?" Robert asked.

"I have a few clubs in mind that cater to our kind. We will have what you Americans call….a bachelor party," Philippe told the men.

"Do not worry ladies…I have my connections in this town," Cynthia smiled sweetly. "The men will behave or we will know about it."

End chapter.

**Thank you so much for reading. I always love to hear your thoughts. Reviews really do mean a lot. Having seen the movie "Mary Bryant" I know that Mick will look great the clothing of the era.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. And after all this time it seems silly to say that since I feel like I own it.**

**Again I thank all who have reviewed or put me on alert. If you haven't reviewed…..don't be shy, I love to know what you think.**

Chapter 7

"I certainly hope that does not mean our ladies do not trust us," Robert said with a twinkle in his eye. He knew that Cynthia had been teasing when she mentioned the contacts she had in the city.

"You we trust, it is the French women we're not so sure of," Beth said sweetly.

"Enough teasing," Moriah spoke up. "I have no intention of worrying about the men. I wish to concentrate on checking out the latest fashions and improving my wardrobe."

"I agree," Rayna grinned.

"Will it just be us four?" Robert asked Philippe. His curiosity towards this family was still aroused. "Will any of your brothers be joining us?"

"Marius suggested he might join us. I do not think we will see any of the others. Christophe is still in Prague and will be here in time for tomorrow's party. We have planned a formal family gathering for tomorrow night. I believe Lance, Raoul and Coraline will be there also," Philippe explained. "Andre's invitation has been revoked."

"He made it quite clear that he did not approve of our commitment," Cynthia said quietly.

"We do not require his approval," Philippe responded as he held her hand and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "Would any of you like some refreshment or would you prefer to rest after your long flight?" he asked his guests.

After a brief discussion, the six newcomers decided to go up and unpack and rest. Philippe showed them to their rooms on the upper level. Mick and Beth disappeared into their room first with Beth making a beeline for the bed. Kicking off her shoes, she stretched out on the silken bedspread. She sent a small smile at Mick through half closed eyes as he explored the room. He found the freezer hidden behind a sliding door and smiled back at Beth.

"You do know that I trust you, don't you?" she asked hesitantly.

Mick nodded as he moved over to her and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I know that," he assured her as he stroked his fingers across her cheek. "But I know that you are worried that Coraline will be out tonight, correct?"

"You know me too well," Beth admitted.

"I have wondered that myself," Mick confessed. "I am sure that Philippe has not divulged his plans to his sister but I would not put it past her to show up. But it does not matter because I am past caring what she wants." He leaned over to kiss her gently. "I have the woman I desire."

"Oh I do love the sound of that," Beth sighed as her arms encircled his neck. "I know we can't avoid her, I just wished to provide a united front when we see her."

"We are always united," Mick promised as he kissed her again.

*M*M*

In the suite next door Rayna was hanging dresses in the closet when Josef came up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist.

"Maybe you should get some freezer time Beauty. You only took a short nap on the jet." He nuzzled her neck, his lips lightly caressing her skin.

"I'm fine Josef," she assured him. "I was so excited with Anthony and Charity's news that I couldn't sleep."

"All the more reason for you to sleep now," he urged. "The time change will catch up to you and you won't be able to concentrate on your shopping. Please….come rest with me." He drew her firmly towards the freezer alcove, fingers working on her blouse buttons.

"You have no intention of taking no for an answer, do you?" Rayna laughed lightly.

"Not this time," Josef said as he continued to undo her clothing. "Humor me my sweet; I want you to be fully rested."

Rayna turned in his arms and started to unbutton his shirt, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I would love to rest in your arms," she purred.

"And I would love to grant your wish," Josef growled as he lowered his head to kiss her.

*M*M*

Across the hall, Moriah sat at the vanity, brushing her hair. Robert relaxed on the bed, leaning against the headboard, watching her movements in appreciation.

"So does it feel strange to be back in Europe?" he enquired. "I know you do not have pleasant memories of this continent."

"So very much time has passed that the sting is gone," she answered seriously. "I do not have many painful memories of Paris. My sire turned me in Greece and my life there and in Rome was bitter. Once I came to the United States, those wounds began to heal," she added. Her smile was brave but Robert could still see the pain that lingered in her dark eyes. He did not know all of her past but he was aware that for many, many decades Moriah had been little more than a slave to her sire.

Moving off the bed he went to her and stood behind her, his hands lightly resting on her shoulders. With a gentle touch he slowly kneaded the tension out of her muscles and then bent to kiss her cheek.

"You are the strongest person I know and you are that way because of your many life experiences. They have helped create the woman I love," he said softly.

"And you are the dearest man I have ever known and I love you deeply," she replied as she reached up to cover his hands with hers.

"We should rest a bit," he reminded her.

"Neither of us needs any freezer time," Moriah said with a teasing smile. She rose to her feet and turned to take his face in her hands. Leaning in to kiss him, she chuckled softly. "I think we can make much better use of our time."

"I would never dream of arguing with the woman I love," Robert chuckled as he led her to the bed.

*M*M*

Much later, the men took their seats at a table in the club that Philippe had chosen to kick off the night. It was not vampire exclusive but the female performers definitely appealed to the men. Drinks had been ordered and the conversation was revolving around the lovely dancers on the stage when a man approached the table from behind Josef. Mick glanced up at the scent of age coming from the vampire and could immediately tell this was another Duvall. The only different feature was the dark blue eyes that twinkled in the handsome man's face.

"I see your guest have arrived safely, my brother," the new arrival announced.

Josef twisted in his seat and looked at the man in delighted surprise.

"Marius, you haven't changed a bit. Always sneaking up on people," he said as he got to his feet and moved towards the newcomer.

"Josef…you old dog, it is good to see you," Marius responded as he pulled him into an embrace and kissed both of his cheeks in the old European style. "You are a sight to see old friend."

"As you are," Josef said pulling away. "I am relieved you do not carry a grudge."

"For Darius?" Marius asked in surprise. "Josef, I am happy to be out from under my sire's influence, I hold no grudges."

"I am glad to hear that," Josef laughed. "Let me introduce my friends….."

"No need," Marius replied. He nodded towards Robert. "This is Robert DeClare, from New Orleans, a very close friend of the fascinating Moriah who we met in Rome so long ago." He looked at Mick who had risen from his chair. "And this is Mick St. John; I cannot help knowing him from Coraline's description. Welcome brother," he added holding out his hand.

"You are aware that I no longer consider Coraline my wife?" Mick said hesitantly but he accepted Marius' outstretched hand.

"Yes…..I realize that. Perhaps I should have said welcome nephew, since you have committed to the lovely Beth that Philippe cannot stop talking about. I cannot wait to meet her as he is so pleased with his "petite Beth". He is a proud Grandpere," Marius laughed in delight. "And I do understand how my dear sister made a mess of things…..she is impulsive is she not?"

"She is," Mick said shortly, not wishing to talk further about Coraline. He stepped back and motioned for Marius to join them at the table.

"It appears you were destined to become part of our family," Marius said in amusement as he sat down. "Has Philippe filled you in on his plans for this commitment?"

"He has indeed," Josef grinned. "It will be an interesting step back in time. I seem to remember you had quite the taste in fashion, did you save anything?"

"No…." Marius laughed. "I am not that nostalgic."

Mick watched the exchange between Josef and Marius with interest. He felt great relief that one more Duvall had proved to be friendly. The tight feeling in his chest loosened a bit with the knowledge.

"See, we are not all untrustworthy," Philippe said quietly from beside him. "The whole family is not like Lance."

"Of course not…..Lance is an old grouch," Marius commented. "Truly it is only Andre who is a pain in the ass. Raoul thinks he is tough but he is only a shadow of Lance. And I know you have managed to deal with Lance. He got the point the last time you met," he chuckled as he saw the pained look cross Mick's face.

"I would rather forget that event," Mick mumbled under his breath, remembering how he had staked the older vampire.

"Don't worry Mick, we Duvall's are really much more bark than bite," Marius said snapping his teeth together and grinning in delight.

End chapter.

**So there you go, one brother added to the mix. What do you think of Marius? Thank you for reading. Reviews help make the muse happy.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. And it hurts to print that every single time.**

**Thank you so very much for reading and reviewing. I have always said that Moonlight readers are among the most loyal and wonderful fans. You make me want to keep writing.**

Chapter 8

Beth leaned back against the cushions of the comfortable sofa and watched the last model walk away, heading back to the dressing room. She had loved almost everything she had seen at this designer's showroom and this soft emerald green cashmere dress was no exception. It had been entertaining to watch Rayna and Moriah when in their shopping mode and Beth marveled at the money the two women had spent. Thus far Beth had limited her spending to two dresses and a jacket at the previous design houses. This place had her really wishing she could go crazy and she nibbled on her lower lip, trying to figure out what she could buy.

"Beth darling, don't you see anything you like?" Rayna finally asked, noticing her friend's indecision.

"No, I love this whole line. I just don't think I can spend like you and Moriah," Beth replied sheepishly.

Rayna, Moriah and Cynthia exchanged looks and grinned.

"You can tell she still thinks like a human," Cynthia commented kindly. "Beth, you are the managing editor of a successful magazine. Surely you can afford some new clothes."

"Am I not paying you enough girl?" Moriah said in mock severity.

Beth ducked her head in embarrassment. Rayna moved closer to her friend and took her hand, squeezing it in support.

"Sweetie, you can afford this," she said understanding Beth's concern. "You do not have to fear going broke in the future. I am sure that Mick has invested wisely if he has listened to Josef and you do not spend money like crazy. I am sure you are better off than you realize."

"Forever is a long time," Beth reminded her. "I want to be careful."

"I am positive that you will be fine in the future," Rayna told her. "I think you can afford to indulge yourself tonight."

Beth looked at the others, feeling a bit foolish. She did have a healthy savings account and did not spend very much of what she earned. It had never been her custom to spend lavishly on herself and old customs were difficult to shake.

"Child, you must adjust your view of the future. You have a talent and you will always be able to take care of yourself. Give in to your desires and allow yourself the luxury of some new clothes," Moriah advised her with a smile.

Beth nodded and smiled at the others. She laughed lightly.

"You are right, I keep forgetting that one shopping spree will not bankrupt me," she admitted. "Okay ladies…..stand back; I have several items I want here, starting with that last dress."

The others laughed with her and called the sales woman into the room to place their orders. Then they set off to their final stop to complete their shopping. Both Beth and Rayna found gowns for the planned New Years Eve party and all three visitors found dresses that they could wear to the upcoming wedding in New Orleans. They returned to Cynthia and Philippe's home in high spirits. After putting away the items they were able to take directly from the shops, the four women gathered in the living room.

"Ladies, I do not expect the men to return until dawn and I have another activity for us but first we could use some refreshment," Cynthia announced as she rang a bell that had sat on a table. Quickly four handsome young men entered the room and lined up before the women. "Please choose, these men are among my favorites. There is no reason the guys should have all the fun tonight."

"You….Cynthia, are the perfect hostess," Rayna said with a grin as she took the dark blonde by the hand. She engaged the young man in conversation in French as she led him to a sofa.

Beth hesitated only a moment before beckoning to a boy who looked no older than twenty-two and he joined her on the loveseat with a shy smile.

"Moriah, may I recommend Arnaud?" Cynthia suggested, indicating a tall, dark man with intense green eyes. At the old vampire's nod, the young man went to her and presented his wrist. Moriah inhaled his scent in appreciation as she raised his wrist to her mouth.

"Come Pierre," Cynthia said softly and the remaining freshie followed her to a sofa near the windows.

After satisfying their thirst, Cynthia dismissed the men with thanks and instructions to go get some food and drink to replenish their bodies. Going to a side board she opened a bottle of champagne and poured four glasses.

"Now ladies, I have some other fashions for you to consider," she told them with a smile. "Are you interested in seeing the gowns I've selected for you? I do not want the men to see what you will be wearing in advance."

With big smiles the women followed Cynthia to the room she had turned into a dressing room.

*M*M*

As the night progressed the men had moved to a vampire only club and were escorted to a private room. With leather chairs and couches and a bar stocked with liquor and blood, they also discovered there were several lovely ladies to see to their needs as well.

Showing no hesitation, Marius, Robert and Philippe all chose a young woman and retired to the chairs to partake of fresh blood. Soft classical music played in the background and Josef paused to observe what Mick would do. He was aware that his friend had made great strides in embracing his vampirism but still preferred bottled to fresh.

A long-legged redhead smiled at Mick boldly and with only brief hesitation, he motioned her over to him. Quickly she crossed to him and Mick sat down, bringing her onto his lap.

Josef would have watched further but a petite brunette sidled up to him and held out her arm invitingly.

"Well thank you my darling," Josef grinned as he accepted her offering. Running his tongue along her forearm, he paused over her wrist and then bit.

After quenching their thirst for blood, the men then helped themselves to brandy snifters and cigars and settled back in the chairs. Marius looked at Josef and Mick curiously.

"So tell me…..what prompted you two to revive this ancient custom of a commitment? I know that you are the reason that my little brother has decided to pursue this crazy idea," Marius laughed.

"You haven't met my Beauty. If you had there would be no question why I would ask my lady to commit," Josef replied.

Marius looked at Mick.

"Beth is my soul mate, because of her I accepted what I am," Mick explained quietly.

Marius nodded, not sure he wanted to probe deeper into Mick's life. He as very aware of how his sister had bungled this man's turning and had eventually driven him to attempt to kill her.

"Why not avail yourselves of the human's ritual and just have a wedding?" he asked as he sipped his brandy.

"A silly human ceremony would not show my Rayna how important she is to me. Even the humans don't respect those vows," Josef said dismissively.

"Considering the roving eye you had in your youth Josef, I am amazed that you have taken this step, she must be an incredible woman," Marius grinned.

"I have changed old friend," Josef said simply.

"And will you and Moriah join in this rush to promise eternity to each other?" Marius then asked Robert.

With an enigmatic smile, Robert blew a smoke ring and paused before answering.

"No one rushes a nine hundred year old woman into anything. We are content to continue as we are," he said quietly. "What about you Marius, is there no special woman in your life?"

Sitting back, a wistful look crossed Marius' handsome face. Philippe knew his brother liked the ladies and did not stay with one for any length of time. Every few years a new one was in his life but then moved on. Marius had never spoken of any special woman. Josef sensed that there was a story behind Marius' hesitation.

"Spill it Marius, who was she?" he teased.

"It was many decades ago. I met a remarkable creature in Montreal but I lost her," Marius finally spoke.

"When was this?" Philippe asked. "You have never spoken about any woman."

"It was 1963, remember how Darius sent Lance to drag me back to Europe and then sent me to Spain to punish me for leaving the continent? Coraline was allowed to come and go as she pleased but we had to do as he required with no argument," Marius said bitterly.

"I remember that," Philippe nodded, recalling that Cynthia had been in the States with his sister during that time. It had been only eleven years earlier that Coraline had caused a stir by marrying and turning a human without Darius' permission. She had remained in the US, playing with her fledgling in spite of their sire's orders to return home. How ironic it was to have the very vampire that angered Darius sitting in the room with them now. Mick was the reason that Marius had been dragged away from a woman he cared for because Darius decided to tighten his grip on his sons. And Philippe had never known that his brother had lost someone special.

"It seems that Darius never gave up his desire to control others," Josef said snidely. He was beginning to think that being exiled to the United States had not been such a bad thing.

"I never knew you had met someone. You never spoke of her. Didn't you try to find her?" Philippe asked.

"No…Darius watched me very closely. Lance told him there had been a woman and I was forbidden to return to North America," Marius responded ruefully. "When I did check later, she had left the city and I could not trace her."

End chapter.

**I hope that you enjoyed the look at the evening's activities. Thank you for reading and please feel free to leave a comment. Reviews do make my world go round and it is so great to know that there are still Moonlight fans out there. Thanks.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. Do you think it really matters that I don't?**

**Thank you for your support. I cherish every review I get; it only increases my pleasure in writing. **

Chapter 9

"Can we assume this woman is a vampire? How difficult would it be to trace her 52 years later? I figure she would have changed identities several times, wouldn't she have?" Robert said thoughtfully, looking at Mick.

"You're right," Mick agreed. "With the antiquated record keeping of the sixties and not knowing what she changed her name to, it would be very difficult."

"Would there be any chance of tracing her? She sang at a club called the Midnight Star, a vampire club. Maybe they would have a record of where she went or someone still there might remember her," Marius said eagerly, his eyes glittering with excitement at the prospect.

"It's possible; there might be someone who knew her well enough to stay in touch. We might get a lead as to where she went. Did she ever give you any information as to where she lived before or any other names she had used in the past? It is not unusual for vamps to reuse identities," Mick responded.

"We only had ten months together before Lance showed up. I wasn't even given a chance to say goodbye. We didn't talk about our pasts," Marius muttered. "I should have stood up to him. I am sure that Raquel believed I abandoned her."

"Do you think you could try and trace her?" Philippe asked Mick.

"I can try," Mick said slowly. "Put together names and places, where she lived, what she looked like and I will get on it once I get home."

"Merci Mick, that would be wonderful," Marius said happily.

"Nice way to ingratiate yourself with the family," Josef smirked in a low voice.

"I'm just trying to be helpful," Mick protested.

"So, it would seem that it is to your advantage to have a private investigator in the family," Robert grinned at Philippe and Marius. "I know that Moriah finds Tyson's skills to be very useful at times."

"And who is this Tyson?" Marius enquired.

"He's a young vamp like Mick, who Moriah views as a son even though she didn't sire him. He has been a great help in the New Orleans' community and now he has a fledgling of his own to guide," Robert informed him.

"I was sorry that Tyson and Savannah were unable to come with you to the commitment," Philippe spoke up. "Beth told me that Savannah's turning was rather rough."

"She had an unfortunate beginning but she is doing quite well," Josef replied. "She has adapted quickly and is back at work with the NOPD."

"I really must return to North America soon," Marius reflected. "I think that Europe is becoming dull in comparison."

"Come visit anytime," Josef offered. "I'm sure we can find some ways to entertain you."

*M*M*

Returning to the house just as dawn was breaking, Philippe found Cynthia waiting for him in their room, wrapped only in a short, red silk robe.

"Did you have a good time my love?" she asked with a wide smile.

"We did but seeing you waiting like this makes me wish I had hurried home sooner," Philippe said running his eyes over her body. "I expected you to be in the freezer by now."

"I was curious as to how our guests enjoyed their first night in Paris."

"I believe they had a wonderful time. Marius joined us and Mick seems more comfortable now that he has one less Duvall to meet," Philippe said as he knelt on the edge of the bed and leaned in to kiss her. "Mick has even offered to help Marius search for a woman he met in Canada in 1963."

"Is that possible?" Cynthia asked in surprise.

"I have no idea but if anyone can find her, Mick can." Philippe lowered himself over her as her arms snaked around his neck. "I missed you."

"Liar," Cynthia giggled as he kissed her.

*M*M*

Robert found Moriah all ready asleep in the freezer when he entered their room. Since they had not taken advantage of the freezer earlier, this did not surprise him and he quickly undressed and joined her. Frosted eyelashes fluttered and with a smile she snuggled into his embrace.

"Did you have a good time?"

"Yes my angel, now sleep, we will talk at twilight," he whispered and kissed her cheek.

As Moriah fell back to sleep in his arms, Robert lay awake considering whether he should rethink his decision to not push her for a deeper relationship.

*M*M*

Entering their suite, Josef discovered Rayna sleeping on the bed. She was curled up on her side in a red silken cami and boyshorts, her pale hair spilling over her face. Josef felt his vision swim with emotion as he looked at her. Quickly shedding all his clothes until he wore only his boxers, Josef slid onto the bed, reaching out to brush her hair away from her face.

Long, dark lashes flickered open and Rayna smiled up at Josef.

"Hello handsome, sorry I fell asleep," she whispered.

"No problem Beauty, I enjoyed coming back to this sight," he teased.

"Well I knew I would be competing with lovely French freshies," Rayna said impishly.

"You have no competition my sweet. You have ruined me for any other women," Josef told her, a small smile flitting across his lips. "I adore you."

"Sweet talker…" Rayna murmured as her hands slid up Josef's chest to rest on his shoulders. "Make love to me."

"Gladly," he answered as he pressed her back into the bed.

*M*M*

Beth heard Mick bid Robert and Josef good day in the hallway before he entered their room. She set aside the magazine she was reading and met him at the door.

Mick smiled at the sight of her in a midnight blue silk nightgown, her golden hair loose around her shoulders. Closing the door behind him, he swept her up in his arms and kissed her.

"How was shopping?" he asked as he carried her over to the bed. Sitting down, he settled her on his lap.

"It was heaven; I spent more in one night than I do in a year. I think I am in shock," Beth confessed, playing with the hair at his collar.

"You deserve it. Don't worry about the cost. I am looking forward to seeing you in designer clothes, although I am always fond of these nightgowns you have," Mick grinned as one finger slipped under one strap of the gown.

"You just like taking them off."

"Of course I do," Mick said as he leaned in to kiss her neck. "I love unwrapping you," he murmured against her skin.

Beth threw back her head, shivering at the touch of his mouth on her skin. A soft moan escaped her.

"You are driving me crazy Mick," she gasped. Beth struggled to get her senses under control. "Before this goes further….I just have to know, did you see Coraline tonight?" she asked, needing to get that fear put to rest.

"No, thank goodness but I did meet Marius. I like him," Mick answered. A small grin appeared on his face. "He is eager to meet you."

"I will be glad to meet him. But now I want to get back to what is important…..show me just how much you like unwrapping me," she said huskily, pulling him into a kiss.

*M*M*

A black Mercedes sat across the street from Philippe and Cynthia's house in the breaking dawn. Hungry, dark eyes scanned the windows as Coraline Duvall forced herself to stay where she was and not go inside. She had hoped to see the men return from their night out on the town but had arrived too late. The pull of Mick's presence in the house called to her but she knew that he was not concentrating on her.

Knowing how angry Philippe would be if she would have shown up at any of the clubs the men had been to, she had spent the night trying to distract herself. The attentions of her latest diversion had not been able to drive out the thoughts of her ex-husband. Perhaps it had been a mistake to select Dominick Winton as her new toy, he bore too much of a resemblance to Mick St. John and tonight looking at him only served to remind Coraline that the real thing was here in Paris. She had left him just before dawn, to come catch a glimpse of the man that she couldn't get out of her thoughts.

Her phone rang, startling her from her musings.

"What do you want Lance?" she asked in irritation.

"Where are you?"

"Why do you care?" she snapped back. The last thing she needed was to have her oldest brother keeping tabs on you.

"Because I will not tolerate you messing with Philippe's silly little ceremony, that is why. Your obsession with Mick St. John is growing tiresome. While I think what Philippe is doing is unnecessary and a waste of time, it means something to him. I would like to see it go well for him. Back off little sister," he commanded.

End chapter.

**Okay, you knew that she wouldn't stay away. Did Lance's comments surprise you? Let me know. Also I love writing little scenes with our couples and this story will give me several opportunities to show our couples in small moments together. I hope you enjoy reading them. Thank you for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I make no profit from these stories except for the reviews I receive.**

**Thanks for all the responses to this story. I am glad you like the visit with the French family. **

Chapter 10

"You know I would never ruin Cynthia's ceremony. She is like a sister to me," Coraline sputtered. "How dare you even suggest that?"

"Calm down little sister, you forget how very well I know you. You are addicted to St. John and I'm willing to bet you are sitting somewhere near Philippe's house, are you not?" Lance asked shrewdly.

Coraline frowned at her phone and then swiftly scanned the area around the car as if expecting to see Lance standing nearby. She wanted to tell him to go stake himself but held her tongue. Her oldest brother was not a vampire to make angry.

"Your silence tells me I'm right. Go home Coraline and get some freezer time. You will need to be in control of yourself when you are in St. John's presence tonight," Lance instructed.

"Will you attend?" Coraline asked.

"I will pick you up at ten," Lance informed her. "Be ready. Now go home."

After her phone went dead, Coraline released an angry sigh but did start her car and drove home. She resented bowing to Lance's orders but she knew he was right. Control would be easier if she got some rest and that control would really be necessary if she was to accompany Lance.

*M*M*

The afternoon sun was hanging low in the sky when the vampires started to stir. Cynthia had arranged for blood to be delivered to each guest room so that everyone could get ready for the party at their own pace.

When Philippe stepped out of the bathroom in only a towel to discover Cynthia was all ready dressed in a shimmering black cocktail dress. She was busy applying her makeup as he came up behind her.

"You don't need any of that, you are beautiful," he said in appreciation.

"Thank you," she smiled at him in the mirror. "It is always nice to hear that from my sire after all these years." Then her expression sobered. "Philippe, are we making a mistake having this party tonight? Would it be better to wait for Mick and Beth to meet your brothers at the ceremony?"

Philippe stood behind her, his hand resting on her shoulders as she sat at her vanity. He kissed the top of her head.

"It is not a mistake. Cherie, I do not want anything to spoil our commitment. If my brothers cannot behave tonight, then they do not need to attend Friday's ceremony. I only want to celebrate with those who truly wish us well," he told her seriously. "It will be fine."

Cynthia nodded, seeing his point. She hoped he was right, she did not want the powerful Duvall family unhappy with her joining the family.

"Did Lance say if he was attending tonight?"

"He called and left a message…he is bringing Coraline," Philippe replied.

Wincing slightly, Cynthia realized that her best friend would be under the thumb of her older brother for the evening. She knew just how much Coraline would hate that.

"Poor Cora, she is not going to enjoy this," she sighed.

"It might make sure that she behaves around Mick and Beth," Philippe suggested lightly.

"She promised…"

"Cyn, you do realize Coraline always promises to behave, right up until she sees Mick," Philippe said gently. "I love her but she always loses control when she sees him. We have to deal with that fact."

"I wish she could let him go. It's not good for her," Cynthia said sadly.

"Perhaps it will be better tonight," Philippe said as he gently squeezing her shoulders and then he went to his closet. "Sooner or later Coraline will realize she can't have Mick."

"I hope so," Cynthia muttered under her breath.

Fifteen minutes later they went downstairs to make things ready for their guests.

*M*M*

As he finished knotting his black tie, Robert smoothed it against the crisp front of his white shirt. He ran his fingers through his hair and then touched the slight grey on his sideburns.

"I have always thought that touch of grey makes you look very distinguished," Moriah said from behind him. "It gives you a worldly, dashing air."

Turning to face her, a smile broke over his face at the sight before him. Wearing a scoop-necked, sleeveless dress in a deep burgundy, Moriah was attempting to fasten an intricately linked gold collar around her throat.

"Let me help," Robert offered as he hurried to her. He took the heavy necklace from her and secured the clasp. "You haven't worn this in many years," he commented.

Moriah's fingers stroked the two inch wide collar that would have made an Egyptian queen envious.

"I felt the need to display my heritage tonight," she said proudly. "The Duvall's put great stock in their royal connections and I wish to remind them they are not the only ones to have the blood of kings in them."

"You are every inch a queen to me," Robert assured her as he kissed her neck above the collar. Her only other adornments were golden oval hoops in her ears and gold combs holding her thick dark hair back.

"Thank you my love," Moriah said turning to hug him.

"It was exactly that type of snobbery that led me to leave France before this family was created and travel to England. Since the class system was not much better there, I set my sights on the freedoms of the New World. Did I ever mention that I met Darius once?" Robert asked.

"No…what did you think of him?" she inquired curiously.

"It was an unpleasant experience and I was pleased to put a great deal of distance between us. But it is why I am eager to meet the rest of Philippe's brothers," he explained.

A devilish glint appeared in Moriah's eyes and she kissed him quickly.

"Let's go downstairs. I can't wait to learn your impressions as they arrive. I have a feeling tonight will be very entertaining."

*M*M*

Across the hall, Rayna stepped into an ice blue dress and Josef zipped it up for her. He let his hands linger on her cool shoulders, fingering the thin straps of the gauzy dress.

"Is this new?" he asked, admiring the way the dress clung to her slim figure.

"Yes, I bought it just for this trip," she responded, her beloved diamond earrings swinging as she nodded. "Do you like it?"

"You look gorgeous in anything Beauty," he assured her. "But this one is particularly lovely."

Rayna turned to face him with a smile but Josef could see there was uncertainty clouding her beautiful grey eyes. He leaned in to kiss her gently.

"We are going to have a wonderful time tonight, there is no need to worry," he promised.

"I am not looking forward to seeing either Lance or Coraline," Rayna grumbled. "I hope I can remain civil."

"Beauty, I have complete faith that you can control yourself. Ignore Lance and leave Coraline to Mick and Beth. I think our friends are able to handle themselves. Our Beth is quite the determined young vampire and she is blood related to this family. I predict that the brothers will find her charming."

"I will trust your knowledge in that. I only know Lance and Coraline and that doesn't make me very hopeful."

"You will find Marius charming," Josef said as he reached up to tie the blood red tie that contrasted with his pale grey shirt. Rayna took over, expertly tying it as the light caught her diamond bracelet and made is sparkle. Josef took her hands in his as she finished and looked at her seriously.

"We have more friends here than enemies. Relax my love, this will be fun," he told her.

"I will try but I will never trust Coraline. I can't Josef. Every time she gets near Mick, she attempts to pull him back into her web. I know that Mick rejects her but she manages to hurt Beth with every effort," Rayna said passionately. "I love Beth like a sister and I do not like her hurt every time that woman shows up."

Josef pulled her close, kissing her sweetly and trying to calm her.

"Easy Beauty, I promise she will not be physically harmed. You forget that we have age on our side. We have Moriah and Robert, not to mention myself, who are all older than this family. It will be fine and Beth has Mick. Nothing Coraline does can touch their relationship and Beth is stronger than you think. Now….let's go and dazzle this crowd. We need to show them that the American vampires are every bit as strong as this European crowd. Personally I can't wait to see Lance in the same room as Moriah; she has no great love for him."

"So then I am not the only one who has to watch their temper?" Rayna asked in amusement.

"No…..although knowing our Moriah, she could cut Lance down with her words alone. I do think that Lance is smart enough not to take on someone with her age and power. But it sure will be fun to watch the guy squirm," Josef laughed at the thought.

Rayna stepped free of his embrace and held out her hand.

"Then let's go and see who has arrived," she suggested. "I hope that Philippe and Cynthia know how volatile this party can get."

"It will be fine," Josef repeated and taking her hand, led her out of the room.

End chapter.

**I think it is time things get under way. If nothing else, it won't be dull. Thank you so much for reading. I would love to hear what you think. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I don't think that I will ever get over this addiction.**

**I thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. I have been inspired by the encouragement you have given me and have been getting some writing done so here is another chapter. I hope I can keep up the pace.**

Chapter 11

Mick awoke at the hissing sound of the freezer lid opening. As Beth attempted to get out of their cold bed without waking him, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back to him.

"Mick, I'm hungry," Beth protested.

"So am I," he growled as he kissed her.

Beth returned his kiss and then pushed against his chest, trying to sit up.

"You know I get grumpy when I 'm hungry. Let me go feed," she said with a determined look, her eyes flashing silver. "I don't want to embarrass Grandpere tonight by being out of sorts." Her eyes returned to their beautiful blue and twinkled at him in mischief. "We don't want me going for Coraline's throat just because I'm irritable."

"You make a very valid case my love," Mick chuckled as he released her. "As entertaining as it would be to see you tear into Coraline, we have no idea how the other brothers would react to that. Let's not go looking for trouble." He followed Beth out of the freezer, admiring the view of her bare backside glistening with frost.

Beth headed to the outer room, where two carafes of blood and two glasses sat on a table. She poured two glasses and handed one to Mick.

"Here's to meeting the family," she said touching her glass to his. Mick grinned at her.

"Let's hope they are more like Marius and not like Lance," Mick commented before drinking.

"Amen to that," Beth sighed in agreement and lifted her glass to her lips.

"Why don't we explore that enticing shower?" Mick said setting his glass aside.

"I love the way you think," Beth giggled as she followed him in to the bathroom.

*M*M*

Downstairs, Marius arrived first, followed closely by Christophe and Michelle, his long time lady. Philippe introduced the couple to Robert and Moriah since Christophe had not been part of the group that had met Moriah in Rome so long ago. While they exchanged greetings, Marius stepped behind Moriah and wrapped his arms around her. He bent to kiss her cheek.

"Hello you beautiful creature, it has been too long since we've seen you," he said affectionately. "You look wonderful."

"I swear all the Duvall men are smooth talkers," Moriah laughed as she turned in his embrace. Taking his face in her hands, she kissed both his cheeks then stepped away. "And you were the worst of the bunch. I am happy to see you as well; Robert tells me you had a good time last night."

"We did indeed," Marius agreed nodding to Robert. "Have you had time to see the lovely gardens outside?" He waved towards the back French doors leading to the gardens. "Let me give you a short tour while we wait for the others to arrive," he suggested and offered his arm to Moriah. With a nod, she slipped one arm through his and held out her other hand to Robert. Together the trio went out into the fragrant formal gardens.

Around fifteen minutes later, Raoul and his vampire wife arrived. They entered the living room, glancing around as there was a bad smell in the room. Cynthia moved forward to greet them.

"Raoul, Claudine, it is so good of you to come," she said warmly.

"Thank you for inviting us. We felt we should help represent the family," Claudine responded formally. She was a tall, thin woman with a privileged attitude. The aquamarine, designer dress showed off her reed thin figure and complimented her dark hair and eyes. The haughty expression on her face kept her from looking happy.

"I'm really glad you came, thank you," Philippe said stepping up and possessively slipping his arm around Cynthia's slender waist. "Raoul would you like some brandy?"

"I would," Raoul said stiffly. He was not as tall as most of the Duvall brothers but his dark features resembled the others enough that you could see he was family. He scanned the room with narrowed eyes. "So, your guests are not present?" he said distastefully.

"Moriah and Robert are in the gardens with Marius. I am sure that Josef, Rayna, Mick and Beth will join us soon," Philippe said quickly.

"Is Josef still as arrogant as ever?" Raoul inquired.

Philippe hesitated for a moment, trying to defuse the anger. He knew that Raoul had never liked Josef, feeling Darius favored him over the royal bloodline.

"Josef is Josef," Cynthia said sweetly. "He has rebuilt his fortunes after Darius banished him. I would say he has a right to be proud of his accomplishments."

Raoul gave her a sullen glare but did not pursue that argument .

"Do you have some champagne for Claudine?" he said instead.

"Of course," Philippe said quickly and went to get a glass of champagne and brandy. He brought them to his guests.

Josef led Rayna by the hand into the room shortly after Raoul and Claudine's arrival. He halted just inside the door to assess the surroundings. Christophe and a petite redhead were conversing with Cynthia while Philippe was handing drinks to Raoul and his companion. Christophe looked up and recognized Josef; he quickly approached them, his lady following along.

"Josef, it is a pleasure to see you again," he said warmly and extended his hand. "This is Michelle," he added as they shook hands.

"It is good to see you again as well Christophe. Hello Michelle, a pleasure to meet you," Josef replied. "This is Rayna, my wife."

"You were always fond of blondes," Christophe chuckled. "And always found such lovely ones too."

"Why thank you," Rayna said with a smile.

"How long have you and Michelle been together?" Josef asked.

"A hundred and twenty years," Michelle said shyly. "Cynthia said this whole commitment idea began with you two."

"Yes it did," Josef grinned. "I had to prove to Rayna how very important she is to me."

No one in the room noticed that Robert, Moriah and Marius had returned to the room.

"Josef and I met when he first arrived in America. He took a long time to declare his devotion," Rayna teased.

"Mon Dieu…Raquel, is it truly you?" Marius' shocked voice carried across the room.

Everyone's focus centered on Marius and then swung their gazes to Josef and Rayna. Shock was written all over the lovely pale blonde's face as she stared at Marius.

"Marcel? Marcel Dandre…how…..is it really you? What are you doing here?" she asked in confusion.

Josef's eyes narrowed as the full implication of this meeting hit him.

"It appears that Mick's services will not be needed after all," Robert murmured to Moriah. He recognized the heated look in Josef's eyes. "It seems we may be called on to referee this mess very soon."

"I certainly wish that the cards had warned me about this," Moriah sighed softly as she watched Josef draw Rayna close to his side.

Marius' initial delight at discovering his lost lady faded as the realization hit that Josef had all ready claimed her for his own. How could fate be so cruel as to do this to him? It was a shock to finally be in the same room with the woman he had been torn away from so long ago and learn she was tied to another.

Crossing the room, Marius stopped before the couple, staring into the face he had only just begun to hope he would see again. She looked so very much the same as in 1963, although there was a stunned look in her grey eyes.

"I never believed I would see you again after Lance forced me to leave Montreal without calling you," he tried to explain. He started to reach for her hands when a low growl escaped Josef.

"You….you never told me you were a Duvall," Rayna stammered in confusion.

"And you never told me there was someone else in your life," Marius pointed out. "You never said you were in love with another."

Rayna winced at his tone but then looked back at him levelly.

"I never said I loved you, Marcel….uh Marius," Rayna said painfully. "We knew each other for less than a year."

Josef's eyes moved between Rayna and Marius as he tried to take in the full implication of the conversation. He could feel a shiver run through Rayna's body as he held her close but did not know if it was in happiness or something else. Did she care for Marius more than she was indicating?

He became aware of the mood of the room, it was clear that everyone was watching, waiting to see if hostile actions would break out between the two men. Philippe and Christophe were concerned for their brother, Cynthia and Michelle seemed to be worried about Rayna and Robert and Moriah were alert for any overt moves. From the other couple in the room came amused laughter and Josef's gaze centered on Raoul.

"Well, well, once again it seems that Josef has managed to take whatever he wants no matter who he hurts. It does appear that some things never change," Raoul smirked, clearly pleased to see the possible conflict between his brother and the vamp he had always disliked. Nothing would make Raoul happier than seeing bad blood between Josef and Marius.

End chapter.

**So….did you see that coming? Sorry to disappoint all of you who wanted me to find Raquel and have a happy ending to Marius' story. The title of this story does say there are complications. Thank you for reading…..if you wish to clobber me, just push the button and yell. The fun is not over yet. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. Nope, they would not sell it to me, not that I had the money to do it but it sure would have been nice.**

**Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews. You are great. It seems I have to make things up to Marius and I will try. Now let's see what other trouble I can stir up.**

Chapter 12

"It's not like that! I am not an object to be "taken" from anyone," Rayna flared, glaring at Raoul. "Neither Josef of Marius did anything wrong."

"No, it would appear that you were the one who created this problem. It seems you do not understand how to remain loyal," Raoul said with distain. He was rewarded as a hurt expression flashed across Rayna's face.

Both Josef and Marius growled angrily at Raoul's cruel jab but before either could act on their feelings, Moriah stepped between the antagonists. With a warning glance towards Josef and Marius, she turned on Raoul. Looking every inch the commanding elder vampire that she was, Moriah advanced on the arrogant Frenchman.

"You know that in our long lives we care for many different people, at different times and to different degrees. There was no disloyalty when Rayna was with Marius. She had reason to believe Josef was with another at that time," she lectured him. Stepping closer her gaze bored into Raoul's. "You are not one to judge." Her eyes flickered over to Claudine who stood next to him. "Does this one know about Isabella? I seem to remember you were pledging undying love to that one in Rome," Moriah said coolly. "How loyal are you?"

Raoul's eyes dropped to the floor as Moriah's words hit their mark. He could feel Claudine stiffen as she comprehended what the older woman was saying.

"That was centuries ago," Raoul protested looking at Claudine and demanding that she understand.

"Indeed it was and it was over fifty years ago that Rayna spent a short time with Marius. We vampires are fluid creatures and our lives flow in curious directions. We rarely give our hearts in our long lives," Moriah said seriously. "This revelation should be seen as a pleasant discovery and nothing more. Josef and Rayna were fated to be together." She turned to look at Marius, to see if he was listening to her. He nodded slightly, looking unhappy but knowing a gesture was expected of him.

"Rayna…." He hesitated over her real name. "Forgive my surprise; I never dreamed I would see you again. Only last night did I even imagine I might find you once more," he tried to explain. He reached out once more, taking one of Rayna's hands in his.

"I'm surprised as well. Mar…Marius; please understand that I have loved Josef for over two hundred years. I'm sorry if this hurts you. I never meant to lead you to believe that I was in love with you but I cared about you very much. You just disappeared so suddenly," Rayna said, feeling awkward in her attempt to make him understand.

Marius swallowed hard and nodded as he released her hand. It stung to know she only saw him as a friend. He had wanted to believe that she had cared as much as he had. Then he remembered the love and devotion he had heard in Josef's voice last night as he spoke of "his Rayna". That's same emotion shone in Rayna's eyes as she professed her love for Josef now. It cut into his heart to see he would never have a chance to win Rayna's heart.

"Have we missed something?" Beth's voice came from the doorway. She was a lovely vision in cobalt blue, her hair loose, tumbling over her shoulders. The gold locket that Philippe had given her on her birthday/turning night hung around her neck and diamond studded hoops from Mick adorned her ears. Behind her with his hands on her shoulders stood Mick, dressed all in black except for a blue tie. He could sense the tension in the room and his eyes sought out Josef's, silently asking for an explanation.

"It turns out you will not be needed to search for Marius' lost lady as it seems Rayna is the woman in question," Robert informed the new arrivals. "My angel has just been reminding some of us that vampires may form many attachments in our long lives. There is no shame in caring for more than one person through the years."

Beth looked at her friend and was touched by the worried look on Rayna's face. The pale blonde was standing a step away from Josef and Marius, her hands clasped together in agitation. Reaching up to touch Mick's hands on her shoulders, she felt him press his lips to her hair and then nudge her forward. Beth hurried forward to gather her best friend into a comforting hug. Her gaze swept over those she could see over Rayna's shoulder, coming to stop on Marius. The handsome vampire was very uncomfortable. Mick followed her across the room and stood beside Josef, silently declaring his loyalty.

"So this is our great niece," Christophe spoke up, breaking the silence as he approached Beth and Rayna. "My dear I cannot get over the resemblance to Marie-Teresa and it is a pleasure to meet you," he finished and gave her a small bow. "I think we have made the beautiful Rayna uncomfortable enough for one night. This will blow over; Marius has always admired Josef's taste in women." He placed one hand on Marius' shoulder and spoke in a low whisper. "Remember brother, this is supposed to be Philippe's celebration."

Marius nodded, shaking himself out of his selfish thoughts and recalling the reason they were all present this evening. He smiled apologetically at Josef.

"Forgive me old friend, I had no idea that your Rayna would be my Raquel." He looked at Mick standing beside Josef. "I guess that I will not need your talents after all Mick. My lost lady belongs with someone else." He looked at Rayna, still standing in Beth's embrace. "Perhaps we can move on now. May I be formally introduced to my niece?" he requested with a small smile.

"Of course," Mick said recognizing the need to move beyond the awkwardness of the situation. "Marius, this is Beth, my wife." Beth released Rayna and nodded at Marius with a tentative smile.

"Hello Marius." She looked at Christophe. "And which brother are you?" she inquired.

"I am Christophe and this is Michelle," Christophe responded and motioned the redhead forward. As the women exchanged greetings, Christophe held out a hand out to Mick. "I have heard so much about you Mick; it is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Mick accepted Christophe's handshake trying to gage the sincerity of the statement. His eyes went to Raoul and Claudine who stood apart from the others, their disapproval clear on their faces.

"It seems not everyone is as pleased as you," Mick replied dryly.

Christophe glanced back at his older brother and then looked back at Mick, an enigmatic smile on his lips.

"Raoul is seldom happy with anything," he answered, not lowering his voice. He wanted his brother to hear him.

With a disgusted short, Raoul took Claudine by the elbow and propelled her across the room. He could not let his brothers control this situation.

"I am Raoul and this is my wife Claudine," he stiffly addressed Mick. He made no attempt to shake Mick's hand and kept a firm grasp on Claudine's arm. He haughtily looked at the group gathered around Mick and Beth. "We saw no need to indulge in this ancient ritual that Philippe finds necessary to revive but have come to represent the family." His eyes returned to Mick. "I also was curious to see the man who has caused my sister to behave so foolishly in the past. Your turning created quite a stir in the Duvall family St. John. Darius was furious with Coraline; she had no right to turn you without permission."

Mick's jaw clenched as he refrained from responding to the obvious taunt from Coraline's brother. He knew that he would gain nothing by attacking this man. Deep down he still resented the fact that Coraline had not warned him of what she was or what she planned to do. Knowing that this family was not happy with his turning did not matter anymore. Even now, though he was at peace with what he was and happy to have Beth at his side for eternity, Mick still felt some pain at how he had become a vampire.

"I will have you know that Mick did not cause Coraline to do anything," a voice spoke up in his defense. Beth stepped between the two men with flashing eyes. She was tired of this family implying that Mick had created the situation that led Coraline to turn him. "Your sister is the one who has no control over her behavior. She is obsessed with Mick."

"Beth…" Mick warned, his arms going around her from behind and drawing her back against him. He loved how she sprang to his defense, willing to take up the fight even when it might not be wise. He noticed that Philippe had come forward to intervene in this before a fight erupted. There was a proud glow in his eyes as he looked at Beth.

Raoul eyed the angry little blonde before him with surprised amusement. He looked at his brother with approval.

"Philippe, it appears she has inherited the Duvall temper. It is clear that she is of our bloodline," he chuckled.

"You find me amusing?" Beth sputtered, her temper still up and not ready to let Mick calm her down. She had all she could take of this man's attitude. She struggled slightly to break free of Mick's grasp but he held her tight.

"Not amusing young one," Raoul contradicted. "But it is good to see that the Duvall blood carries through the generations. Darius would be so proud."

"I have no desire to make that man proud. I hate family reunions," Beth groaned softly, sagging back in Mick's arms. There was no getting through to this vamp. Then her eyes met Philippe's and she felt embarrassed at her words. "Oh I'm sorry Grandpere…" she exclaimed as one hand flew to her mouth. "I didn't mean it that way."

Philippe smiled at her in understanding, amusement dancing over his handsome features.

"Don't worry my petite. Welcome to the Duvall family gatherings. This is but a taste of what it is like when we get together," he chuckled. "We are often at each other's throats. Raoul is completely aware of Coraline's impulse problems. He is fond of stirring the pot as you American's like to say. And he has always taken pride in the Duvall family temper. Darius was not the best influence."

"I have always admired women with spirit," Raoul argued, completely ignoring the surprised look on Claudine's face. She held her tongue and watched the exchange with interest. "I am impressed that this little one shows such promise and is worthy of the family name."

"Well that makes me so happy to have your approval," Beth stated sarcastically. "I am not looking to carry on the Duvall name. I am here to celebrate with Philippe and Cynthia, not to impress you," she said fingering the locket around her neck.

"How very true….Beth has never appreciated her family connections," a syrupy voice spoke from behind everyone. The others in the room swung around to stare at the new couple who had entered the room. Coraline stood before them in a sparkling emerald green dress, one arm linked through Lance's arm. "Her only desire was to hang onto Mick by coercing him to turn her."

End chapter.

**Well now the party can really begin. Coraline and Lance have arrived and sides are being chosen. Let me know what you think. Thank you for reading.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I will keep saying that…..does anyone really think that CBS or WB care what I write?**

**Thank you everyone for the reviews. I guess I have shocked a few of you but at least no one is calling for my head so I shall continue with the party.**

Chapter 13

"Coraline…." The warning in Lance's voice was clear. "There is no need to insult Beth, she is family after all."

Cynthia had hurried to Coraline's side and now she attempted to draw her away from Lance.

"Come Cora, let's get you some champagne. We have your favorite label," she urged as she tugged her away from the Lance. She led her to the bar on the other side of the room.

Lance didn't protest as Coraline walked away. His critical gaze swept the room and then he advanced on the group that had gathered by Mick and Beth. He nodded to Raoul and Claudine.

"It appears I have just missed something," he said coolly, speaking to Raoul but fixing his one good eye on the young blonde vampire standing next to St. John. "Beth, Darius would be so pleased to see you have joined the family."

"I could care less what Darius would have wanted," Beth snapped in irritation. Mick instantly drew Beth closer to him.

"And what else has happened?" Lance then asked, ignoring Beth's response.

"Well brother, it appears that Marius formed an attachment to Josef's woman some 50 years ago," Raoul reported with a smirk. "And then Moriah stepped in to remind us that it is not unusual for us to care for more than one person in our long lives. You do remember Moriah, don't you Lance?"

The one-eyed vampire glanced at the regal black woman standing off to one side with a distinguished looking man. Lance shifted uncomfortably as his gaze met Moriah's. He quickly looked away, feeling the age and power the couple radiated. His little brother had aligned himself with some strong forces. Lance knew he would need to be careful when dealing with these two.

"Of course I remember Moriah," Lance replied as he looked once more at the woman. "It has been a long time since you set foot on European soil Madam."

Moriah nodded and smile slightly. She did not want to get into the middle of this family dispute beyond what she had all ready said. Now that Lance had arrived, she preferred to step back and observe for the moment.

"I can't help but agree with you, Beth is a delightful addition to the family," Raoul said picking up the previous comment that Lance had made.

"And to think, she has only agreed to join us because Coraline so impulsively turned St. John," Lance said smugly, watching Mick's face closely. He could see Mick's jaw clench in anger at his words. "It appears our little sister's obsession may have had its purpose after all. For once this choice may not have been as foolish as some of her other ones."

Cynthia quickly cautioned Coraline to keep quiet and Josef laid a hand on Mick's shoulder in warning. He could feel the tension in his young friend and wanted to calm him before he picked a fight he could not win. Neither Coraline nor Mick had a chance to speak before an indignant blonde spoke up.

"A purpose…..not a foolish choice? Really, are you serious? She originally wanted to turn me as a four year old. That is just plain cruel. And she did it only to hang on to a husband who didn't want her. How can you approve of anything she does?" Beth demanded.

"This family does not deserve this gem," Josef spoke up. "And turning Mick was all Coraline did. She is not responsible for the vampire he is today. You are all stuck in the past Lance. It is time to face the future."

"You never had respect for your sire and your heritage," Lance retorted with a snarl. "And if St. John had accepted his gift properly, all this drama would not have been necessary."

A low growl rumbled in Mick's chest, he was tired of Lance's insults. His patience was wearing very thin and coupled with his concern for Beth, he felt his temper rising.

Philippe could see this was escalating and he needed to stop the situation from getting out of hand.

"That is enough Lance. I expected more of you as you are the oldest in the family. If you cannot treat my guests graciously then you may leave. This is supposed to be a celebration for my lady and I expect polite behavior from my brothers," Philippe said sternly.

"Brave talk little brother," Lance sneered. "Has the little pup finally grown some teeth?"

"Do I surprise you Lance?" Philippe questioned.

Lance studied his youngest brother. It did not escape his notice that Mick, Beth, Josef and Josef's woman had gathered behind Philippe, lending their support. Even Cynthia and Coraline had moved closer to him. Marius stayed close as well.

"Surprised…no I would say I am amused," Lance finally replied. He knew that Raoul and Claudine had moved to stand behind him as he had expected. He was always able to rely on Raoul to back whatever he did.

Before Philippe could respond, a laugh burst out of Marius.

"You can't be amused big brother, everyone knows you have no sense of humor," Marius jabbed at Lance.

It was no surprise that Marius came to Philippe's defense; Lance knew the two youngest brothers had always been close. He noted that Moriah and Robert still remained off to one side, observing. And as usual, Christophe had separated himself from either side. Their middle sibling never took a stand in a dispute until he knew who had the upper hand. Lance found he could admire Philippe's defiance more than he could stand Christophe's ambivalence.

"I am the head of the family," Lance reminded Philippe.

"I am aware you are the oldest Lance," Philippe said mildly. "Because of that I did hope you would be present when my other guests arrived. Several of the community's leaders will be arriving shortly and your absence would be difficult to explain."

"Touché,'" Christophe said quietly as surprise flashed across Lance's face. His expression made it clear that he had no answer to that and he had lost this confrontation. There was no way to save face if he left now.

"You never mentioned you had invited members of the community," Lance said tightly.

"I thought I had. I only wished to introduce Beth to some of the elders of the city," Philippe replied with an innocent smile. "I was sure I had told you."

"You did not," Lance said through gritted teeth.

"My apologies," Philippe said sincerely, holding out his hand to Lance. "I should have made sure you had been informed." The sound of door chimes announced that the first of the guests had arrived. "Would you join me in greeting my guests, brother?" he requested.

"Of course," Lance responded, taking the offered hand. He did not appreciate being out-maneuvered but he did respect how his little brother had handled the situation. It was clear that Lance would have to keep a closer eye on this one but for now he would present a united front before Paris' leading vampires.

"He handled that beautifully," Josef said under his breath to Mick. "That was a very smart move."

Movement on his left brought Josef's attention to Rayna who was restlessly shifting from one foot to the other. Her arms were wrapped around herself and her eyes darted among the people in the room.

"Beauty, are you all right?" he asked gently.

"I'm not sure," she sighed as she watched Marius in conversation with Moriah and Robert. "I really did not know that Marcel was a Duvall. When he disappeared I thought I would never see him again."

"Did you love him?" Josef asked hesitantly. He was not sure he wanted to hear the answer but couldn't keep the words from coming out. He knew Rayna had believed he was in love with Sarah when she met Marius.

"No, I didn't love him. I liked him…a lot. And then he was gone."

Slipping an arm around her shoulders, Josef leaned in to kiss her cheek. He smiled at her and finally she managed to smile back. He reached out with his free hand to stroke her cheek and she leaned into him, letting him support her.

"I may be selfish but I am glad to hear that," he told her quietly.

Standing with Moriah and Robert, Marius found he could not help staring at the couple, his envy written on his face. Only last night he had begun to hope he might find Raquel once more and now he had learned where she was but there could be no future with her. The body language between Josef and Rayna said more than any words could.

"You need to let go of the past my boy," Moriah broke into his thoughts sympathetically. "Look to the future."

"Easy to say Moriah," Marius sighed. "I have dreamed of her for many years."

"Tell me….did you really love her or was she a fantasy that grew greater over the years? Time has a way of altering perceptions," the wise woman responded.

Marius wanted to argue with her, to tell her he had loved Raquel deeply but then he paused. He had been very attracted to the lovely vampire, he had enjoyed every minute of the ten months he had spent with her but had it been love? With time Marius was sure it could have become love but then he had not fought for her when Lance had come to drag him back to Europe. There had been chances where he could have searched but he had meekly given in to Darius' instructions and had not looked for Raquel. A wave of shame washed over him as he saw the point that Moriah was trying to make.

"Are you always right?" he asked ruefully.

"Heavens no child. I've learned many lessons from bitter experience. But I do know that second chances do come along. Be ready to take them when they do," she advised as she smiled at Robert.

End chapter.

**I do hope that this helped move the party along. It seems that Philippe knows his brother well and knew how to plan for trouble. Let me know what you think…I live for reviews. Thanks for reading.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I am obsessed with it still but ownership still eludes me.**

**Thanks for the reviews. They mean a lot. Sorry I have been delayed in posting this….my real life took a sad turn when our 14 ½ year old dog passed away suddenly.**

Chapter 14

The community leaders who accepted Philippe's invitation represented seven of the most influential bloodlines in France. Each had brought along a trusted associate or family member to the party since none of them could fully trust the Duvalls and needed someone to watch their back. Philippe proudly ushered Beth and Mick among his guests, introducing them to Paris' elite.

Mick stayed close to Beth's side and kept Philippe as a buffer between Lance and himself. To his credit, Lance kept his opinion of Mick to himself and made no disparaging remarks in front of the guests. As they moved through the crowd Mick could feel Coraline's eyes fastened on him and he made no effort to meet her gaze.

"You do realize that if anyone bothered to look, they could see your desire for St. John all over your face. May I suggest sister dear that you make an effort to conceal your feelings better," Raoul said as he and Claudine stopped beside Coraline. "It is embarrassing how you pant over that man."

"He's mine Raoul," Coraline whispered intensely.

"Just because you sired him does not make him bound to you. Unhappy fledglings can lead to tragic ends, you saw that when Josef turned on Darius," Raoul observed.

"I will agree that he is exquisite Coraline. I can see what drew you to him," Claudine confided softly. "It's such a shame he has no noble blood."

"I don't care about his blood. I wanted him, I married him and I turned him," Coraline answered passionately.

"And he rejected you. Tried to kill you, if I remember correctly. Give it up Cora, find another plaything," Raoul advised. "Come Claudine, I want a word with Albert; I have a business proposition for him." Without waiting for an answer he took Claudine's arm and steered her away.

Coraline stood alone, scanning the crowd looking for Cynthia. Raoul's words had stung and she was tired of being told to forget Mick. It was like a stake to her heart to see him moving among the guests with one hand possessively on Beth's waist.

Coraline noticed that Marius had moved to a quiet corner with Giselle Beaumont, a lovely auburn haired vampiress connected to Gilbert Beaumont, one of the oldest of the Paris community. She could see that Giselle was flirting back and for a brief moment, Coraline felt a sense of happiness for one of her favorite brothers before once again focusing on Mick and Beth.

"You look lovely tonight Coraline," Moriah said to her as she joined Coraline and handed her a glass of champagne.

"Have you come to babysit me Moriah?" Coraline asked accepting the glass.

"Heavens no. I know you would never ruin Cynthia and Philippe's celebration," Moriah said kindly. "And I do understand how painful it is to see Mick and Beth together. I saw Raoul was here earlier and I doubt he was very sympathetic, so I came to keep you company."

"He has never been understanding. He and Claudine deserve each other," Coraline said snidely.

"Tell me Coraline, what does your dress for the ceremony look like? Cynthia picked out such lovely dresses for us. Mine is a deep rose, it looks wonderful on me," Moriah confided with a smile.

Across the room, others had been watching the pair with interest.

"You have to love Moriah," Josef said to Rayna. "She could tell just how close Coraline was to doing something foolish."

"She should have let Coraline make a fool of herself," Rayna said vehemently.

"Not in this crowd Beauty," Josef disagreed. "That would reflect badly on Philippe. These European vamps take breaking protocol seriously. They are caught up in saving face."

"You have never shown proper respect for the order of power. Josef you have lived too long in America and have forgotten what if means to be a true vampire," Lance sneered from behind the couple.

"And it is lovely to see you again Lance," Josef smirked as he turned to face him. "I assure you that I have a very clear memory of what it is to be a true vampire. I refuse to cling to outdated rules of behavior. We are in the 21st century you know."

"You fail to amuse Josef."

"Wasn't trying to be amusing Lance," Josef said dryly. "This is a different world and royal blood means squat unless you are Prince William."

Rayna stifled a giggle as Lance swung around to glare at her. She quickly sipped her champagne as he turned back to Josef.

"You would be wise to remember you are on European soil Josef. The old rules, whether you agree with them or not, are very much in effect here. Darius had many friends in this city," Lance warned.

"Darius had no friends only those who were afraid of him. You are fooling yourself if you think anyone here misses the old man," Josef replied keeping his voice low. The tight, angry look in Lance's face told him he had struck a nerve. Josef was well aware that there had been no great outcry at Darius' death because he had checked.

"Perhaps not among those here, but be very aware that Andre has never forgiven you for what you did. Watch your back Josef," Lance said ominously and walked away.

"Josef….." Rayna whispered, her voice trembling. Her grey eyes were dark with concern.

"Don't worry Beauty, Andre is no threat," Josef said lightly. "Lance is blowing smoke."

Taking another quick sip of her wine, Rayna considered his words. She could see that Josef believed what he was saying but she fully intended to talk to Moriah and Robert as soon as possible. She was not able to dismiss the threat as easily as Josef did.

Mick and Beth had finally broken free of the required small talk and disappeared out onto the moonlit terrace. Looking out over the gardens, Mick drew Beth into his arms and kissed her. Then he looked down into her lovely face and smiled happily.

"I think you are a hit," he said softly.

"I really don't care as much about that," Beth sighed. She rested her hands on his chest. "I only want to make Philippe happy."

"You did that," Mick said and kissed her again.

"Coraline has been watching you like a hawk all night," Beth told him looking back at the house. She had been just as aware of how Mick's ex had been following his every move all night as Mick had.

"We knew she would. It doesn't matter, she will not embarrass Philippe," Mick soothed. "She can't hurt us."

"Why would I wish to hurt either of you?" a soft voice spoke from the shadows to their left. Coraline stepped into the light, her eyes glittering brightly. "I have no desire to harm anyone. You did make it clear that we are over, didn't you Mick?"

"Then why are you out here?" Beth asked sullenly.

"I just wanted to say hello. This is a family gathering after all and we are family, are we not? I am your aunt by blood and I am the sire of your sire. We are bound together in many ways whether you like it or not," Coraline said stopping before them.

"I'm not sure I like it," Beth grumbled.

"Coraline, this is getting old. It's over, please understand that. I did try to kill you once, isn't that enough to make you see that I do not love you?" Mick said wearily. He found it difficult to whip up any anger at her anymore. Knowing she was delusional, only made him wish to be as far away from her presence as possible. He could feel Beth's body vibrate with barely restrained annoyance with Coraline. The presence of the visiting elders made Mick conscious that he had to calm both women before things blew up and brought the others out onto the terrace. The conversations that he had been witness to inside had made Mick aware of how delicate the balance of power was in this city.

Beth could feel her love's concern. She too, understood that the city's elder's attendance here was of grave importance to the Duvall family and that causing a scene would put the whole family in a bad light. She could see how Coraline enjoyed controlling how they reacted to her and planned to continue to do so. With a small smile, Beth leaned up to kiss Mick slowly and then stepped away from and faced Coraline. She decided it was time to go on the offensive.

"Coraline….…you are right. We are family…..and I think we do need to get to know each other better," Beth said going to her and linking her arm through the brunette's. She tugged the woman towards the house. "We will find Mick later and you can catch up. Right now I think we need to have a glass of blood and a good long talk." Throwing a smile over her shoulder at Mick, Beth walked a surprised Coraline towards the house.

Mick watched them go, unable to stop the pleased grin that was spreading across his face. While he might want to just kill Coraline and eliminate her from their lives….his Beth had found a much better way to diffuse the situation. She was a constant amazement to him and he loved every new thing he learned about his blonde angel.

Eagerly he followed the two women to the house, curious as to how this would play out. He felt that Beth was safe, she had the backup of Philippe, Moriah, Robert and Josef in the room. Coraline could not hurt her with all those others there. But he could not help wondering if Lance or Raoul would cause any trouble and he did not want Beth to face them alone. There were so many pitfalls with this family and he had not felt comfortable on this foreign soil. Heading home to the US was beginning to look better and better.

"I never knew Beth liked playing with fire," Josef said to him once he was inside the room. He handed Mick a brandy.

"I'm not sure Coraline knew what hit her," Mick said proudly. A broad smile was on his face as he watched Beth keep Coraline from walking away from her. "Maybe she is more Duvall than she realizes."

End chapter.

**So how do you like our Beth? She is not going to let Coraline win in this situation. Please give me feedback….I do love hearing your thoughts. Thank you so much for reading.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. All these years later and I still long to own it and I cannot.**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing. I am not sure you have any idea how much your reviews mean to me. The feedback is what keeps me wanting to write.**

Chapter 15

"Let's not insult Blondie now," Josef commented dryly. "You should be proud of that woman."

"I am," Mick confirmed. He glanced at Rayna who was standing with Moriah. "And you my friend should realize that Rayna loves only you. Marius means nothing to her."

Josef followed his gaze and smiled when his eyes met Rayna's. She smiled back, her whole face lighting up with his attention.

"Oh I know that," he replied. "And I pan on making sure she is assured of that once we are alone. Trust me I know how to make her feel treasured."

"Wise move my friend," Mick approved.

As they spoke, Beth had propelled Coraline across the room to the bar. There she signaled the woman behind the bar to pour two glasses of A neg. and then the woman backed off to see how the American guest handled Ms Coraline. All the staff knew how volatile the brunette could be.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" Coraline hissed as Beth kept a tight grip on her left wrist.

Beth took a slow sip of her drink and then smiled at the woman.

"I'm trying to get to know you better Coraline. We are family and all I know about you are the bad things; like your interest in kidnapping children or playing human and tricking your ex-husband into working for you," Beth answered keeping her voice soft. "I want to know if there is a good side."

"You cannot be serious, you want nothing to do with me," Coraline argued, also keeping her voice low. She had no desire to be overheard by any of the elders of Paris.

"No…..Mick wants nothing to do with you. I'm willing to make an effort to please Philippe and Cynthia by playing nice with you," Beth corrected. "Admit it Coraline, you are only upset because I pulled you away from Mick."

Coraline pursed her lips and looked towards the terrace doors where Mick stood with Josef. Even from across the room she could see that his attention was solely on Beth. It was as if Coraline wasn't even in the room. The glint of white gold on Beth's left hand twisted her heart as she could see what the ring represented.

"I saw him first." That was the best she could say.

"That means nothing. You cannot own love, it is either there or it is not. This is the last time I will say this, Mick has moved on….so should you," Beth whispered as she tightened her grip on Coraline's wrist.

"Let….go….of ….me," the low growl came through Coraline's gritted teeth.

"I am so glad you two are getting along," Cynthia said brightly, stepping in to block the view of Beth's grip on Coraline's arm from anyone else.

From another spot in the room, Rayna saw the tension building between Beth and Coraline and took a step towards them. Moriah caught her by the arm and shook her head.

"Let Beth handle this," she cautioned the younger woman.

"But she is still so young," Rayna protested.

"You care about her and that is commendable but trust her Rayna, she will be fine," Moriah nodded towards the third woman who was joining the two antagonists. "See, Cynthia will help, she is best qualified to control Coraline."

Rayna relaxed, feeling better with how things were playing out. She quickly scanned the room to see if the women had attracted any undue attention. She noticed Raoul and Lance observing Josef and Mick.

"Granny…..uh…Moriah, Lance warned Josef that Andre still holds a grudge because of Darius," she said quietly.

"Did he now?" Moriah said with interest. "You are worried child?"

"Of course."

"Is Josef worried?"

"He feels Lance is bluffing. But I could see on Lance's face that he has not forgiven Josef either," Rayna said nervously. This had been bothering her since they first planned this trip to Europe.

Moriah nodded as she considered Rayna's concerns.

"You are probably right, Lance does not forgive easily, but he is not stupid my dear. He is aware that things are better with Darius no longer holding power over him," Moriah said thoughtfully. "However, Andre is one to watch out for, I never liked him."

"Please promise me that you and Robert will keep watch for him the rest of the time we are here," Rayna said urgently.

"Of course dear girl," Moriah assured her, hugging her close. "I promise we will keep our eyes open."

"Thank you," Rayna whispered and then froze as she saw Lance approaching them. "Lance," she breathed softly.

Releasing Rayna, Moriah turned to smile at the vampire that was coming towards them. She straightened up to her full height and nodded to him.

"Hello again Lance," she said pleasantly. "I am impressed with the community members who have agreed to attend this gathering tonight. I remember Gilbert from the last time I visited your city. You command great respect."

"The Duvall family is greatly respected in Paris and that should not surprise you. Gilbert did mention he was pleased to see you again," Lance admitted stiffly. It had galled him to hear Gilbert Beaumont express pleasure at seeing Moriah again.

"I enjoyed catching up with him earlier," the older woman replied, not missing out on how uncomfortable that made Lance.

"Tell me something Madam, why have you buried yourself in a backwater city in America? With your age and power you could command great influence here in Europe," Lance asked curiously.

"You put great store in wielding influence, don't you Lance?" Moriah asked with interest.

"What else is there?" Lance asked in confusion.

"A long and happy life," Rayna said impulsively. "What is the point of immortality if we don't enjoy our time on this earth?"

With interest Lance finally looked closer Rayna. He had easily dismissed her when he had gone to Los Angeles with Darius all those years ago. To him, Rayna had only been a means to control Josef when they confronted him. Now he was aware of Marius' past with her and Lance could see the attraction. He was aware of her beauty but now he was also struck by the force of her personality. It was clear that he should pay closer attention to this woman.

"We must protect ourselves, this world is not prepared for the knowledge of vampires," he responded.

"Are you threatened by humans Lance?" Moriah asked.

"They have control of this world, we do not. We are the greater power and we should not have to hide in the shadows," the one eyed vamp argued passionately.

"We are the greater power," Moriah agreed. "But the world is not ready to accept the knowledge of us. Would you wipe out our food source? Tell me why we cannot co-exist with the humans Lance."

Lance looked ready to snap out a quick answer and then he paused and held back. Damn, no one had ever presented the argument to him that way. He felt how both women's eyes focused on him and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Of course they are necessary for our existence. But to co-exist with them we need to be always be aware that while weaker…..they are still capable of destroying us. We cannot let them plot against us," he insisted.

"You are correct," Moriah agreed. "And that is why it is vital that we do not perpetuate the myth that we are monsters. If the day comes that our secret is exposed it would be wise to have humans who see us as friends, not enemies."

"Centuries of folklore have painted us as monsters Madam. Do you believe that a few freshies will speak in our favor if that should happen? Should we hire a PR firm to counteract the centuries old perceptions?"

Rayna rolled her eyes in frustration at his old fashioned view on the world.

"Don't you see Lance; it is not just freshies who can speak for us? Live among the humans with a respect for their lives. Even those who never knew our secret can be honest witnesses to our true intentions in this world," she stated.

"It is always better to cultivate friends rather than enemies," Moriah added.

"Your opinion has some merit ladies," Lance conceded after some thought. "And perhaps your American humans are more open-minded than our humans. I will continue to remain prepared to defend our community until I see something different," he stated firmly before turning on his heel and walking away.

"Stubborn vamp," Rayna muttered.

"Darius had a long time to infect this family with his paranoia," Moriah remarked.

A small shiver ran through Rayna at the memory of her encounter with the power hungry sire to this family. She couldn't help being grateful that Josef had been sent away before the roots of this vamp's influence took hold in him as well.

"I see you were entertaining Lance," Josef commented as he and Mick joined the women.

"We were exchanging views on humans," Moriah said lightly. "He is convinced that humans are out to destroy us."

"And I thought you were paranoid," Mick said to Josef.

"You would be paranoid too if you have lived as long as we have," Josef responded quickly. "While I think Lance is an idiot, I understand his fears."

"Fear cannot rule our lives Josef," Moriah reminded him.

End chapter.

**So…..what do you think? I do so love your feedback, please feed the muse. I adore reviews. Thanks for reading.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I make no profit from this and I still can't call it mine but that won't stop me from writing about it.**

**Thank you again for the lovely reviews. They really are the best payment I could have.**

Chapter 16

"Of course it can't rule me Moriah but that doesn't mean I am letting my guard down," Josef replied to Moriah's admonishment. "Being vigilant has kept me around for 400+ years."

Rayna noticed how Mick's attention kept drifting to the three women near the bar. Smiling at Mick she touched his arm lightly.

"Why don't you go rescue Beth," she suggested quietly.

"I think I will," Mick nodded.

"Play nice, Paris' elite are watching," Josef quipped as Mick walked away.

Pausing a few feet from the women, Mick listened to the conversation. While things had looked tense from across the room, it appeared now that Cynthia had steered it to safer ground.

"I am sure you will look fabulous in that dress," Beth was saying as he got closer.

"Hush," Cynthia cautioned as she was the first to notice Mick. "We don't want the men in on the secret."

Coraline followed her gaze and spotted Mick hovering nearby. She smiled playfully at him.

"Have you come to check up on Beth, Mick?" she cooed.

"No," Mick responded as he came forward to slip his arms around Beth from behind. He leaned in to kiss Beth's temple and then looked directly at Coraline. "I just missed her," he said quietly.

Swallowing hard, Coraline narrowed her eyes and decided that two could play this game.

"Beth says that you no longer care about me Mick, she says you have moved on," Coraline said bluntly. "I cannot believe that you do not care about your sire Mick, it is not like you to turn your back on someone so important." She looked at him hungrily; sure he could not deny her when she put it that way.

"I have moved on Coraline and so should you," Mick said without malice. He tightened his hold on Beth and looked at Coraline sadly. "You are my sire but I love Beth."

Before Coraline could respond in any way, Philippe appeared at her side and took hold of his sister's hand.

"Cora honey, Paul has been asking about you. You have been avoiding him. Please come and make his evening more pleasant," Philippe coaxed as he drew her away. For once Coraline did not fight him and let him take her across the room. Cynthia watched them go and then turned back to the others, smiling gratefully at Beth.

"Thank you for trying to keep things civil. I know she made things uncomfortable," she said. "I wish she could just let Mick go."

"So do I," Beth sighed but then smiled at Cynthia. "But I do understand the attraction." She grinned up at Mick. "She needs to move on because it is over."

"I wish she could do that," Cynthia agreed.

"Once we leave France it will be easier," Mick spoke up.

Cynthia nodded as her attention wandered back to where Philippe and Coraline were talking to a handsome, dark blonde vampire who looked to be in his mid-thirties. Coraline was smiling up at the man, one hand resting intimately on his arm and listening to him speak.

"Paul LaSalle has always had an eye for Cora. He's older than her, which would be good for her but she always keeps her distance. Maybe now she will let him closer if only to try and make Mick jealous," Cynthia reflected.

"Then I hope he turns up the charm," Beth stated firmly. "Perhaps you should invite him to the commitment. The ceremony seems to bring out the romantic in some men, look how ours gave Philippe a nudge," she giggled.

"Very true…..and thank you for that," Cynthia smiled. Her eyes lit up as they centered on Philippe. She adored him and was touched deeply that no matter what his family's reaction to their commitment was, Philippe would go through with it. He would not abandon her.

"You and Philippe are a good match," Mick commented. "I know you and I did not start off on the right foot and I understand the reservations you had about me but I have good instincts. You and Philippe are right for each other."

"Thank you Mick, I misjudged you. You and Coraline do not belong together but you have proved to be a worthy vampire," Cynthia admitted warmly. "I am going to join Cora and Philippe, please enjoy yourselves."

She hurried off and Beth turned in Mick's arms to face him. Running her hands up his chest, she tilted her head back, presenting her lips for a kiss. With a smile he obliged her.

"Quite the move, taking on Coraline like that. You constantly amaze me my love," he said warmly.

"She will not come between us and it's time she accepts that," she replied with a small growl.

"I agree," Mick answered before kissing her again.

*M*M*

The eastern sky was beginning to lighten as the party began to break up. Paris' elite bid their farewells to the Duvalls and their visitors from the US. Giselle Beaumont lingered, remaining close to Marius and whispering in his ear. As he escorted her to the door, she rose up on her toes to initiate a long kiss.

The last to leave was Paul LaSalle, who continued to press Coraline for a date. While she didn't reject him outright, she did hold back while checking to see if Mick was watching her. It irked her to see him wrapped up in Beth, his attention on her and only her. In frustration she returned her focus on Paul and a seductive smile lit her face.

"I think I would enjoy a trip to Venice with you Paul," she purred. "Why don't you call me next week and we will set a date."

"I look forward to it Coraline," Paul said his deep voice filled with pleasure at her change of heart. His brown eyes gleamed with heat as he studied her face. "I can assure you that I can remove all thoughts of St. John from your mind when you are with me. You deserve a man who appreciates you." Raising her hand to his lips he kissed her palm.

A slight flutter in Coraline's stomach made her smile soften. Cynthia noticed her reaction and whispered quickly in Philippe's ear. He nodded and left the room with Paul. No sooner did they leave than Lance approached the two women with Raoul and Claudine close behind. The group from the US clustered together near the terrace doors observing with interest.

"I wish to thank you for the lovely night Cynthia," Lance said formally. "I look forward to the ceremony on Friday. Come Coraline, it is time to leave."

"I can see myself home Lance," Coraline protested.

"Nonsense, you came with me, I will see you home," Lance commanded. His tone brooked no argument. Coraline flinched slightly, knowing it was useless to argue with him. With the city elders gone he would no longer mask his temper.

"You sure do like to throw your weight around, don't you big brother?" Marius said strolling back into the room with his hands in his pockets. "It is so easy to bully Coraline knowing she won't oppose you. There is no one here to impress with this act, we all know you are the oldest."

"I am the oldest and therefore the head of this family. I do not need to bully anyone. You would be wise to remember that Marius," Lance growled with a scowl on his face.

"Show some respect Marius. Lance is Darius' rightful heir," Raoul rebuked his younger brother.

"Of course Raoul, how could I forget my place," Marius smirked. "I do tend to forget that birth order means everything to you. Forgive me if I have trouble living by 18th century rules anymore," he laughed.

An angry growl erupted from Raoul as he vamped and advanced on Marius. Lance casually crossed his arms over his chest and watched with interest as Marius went into a defensive crouch, his eyes silvering. Across the room, Josef held out one arm to prevent Mick from entering the fight.

"There will be no fighting in my home," Philippe ordered as he stood in the doorway. He hurried over to step between his brothers. "Both of you…..calm down! I think it is time for both of you to leave. Do not bring this fight to the ceremony or I will throw you out," he instructed. "You have accomplished nothing but to look foolish in front of my friends."

Both men calmed, taking a step back from each other. Marius threw an apologetic look towards the six guests. Claudine moved to take Raoul's arm and stroked the back of his neck to quiet him.

"My, my, it seems you have grown into your teeth little brother," Lance commented with a humorless chuckle. "I must remember to keep a closer eye on you." He reached out and took Coraline by the wrist. "We will see you on Friday, I cannot help thinking it will prove to be a most interesting night. Come Cora, it is time to go. You too Raoul."

Without another word he led Coraline from the room with Raoul and Claudine following.

"Let it never be said that Duvall family gatherings are dull," Christophe spoke up from his place near the bar. He moved towards his brothers. "Philippe….Cynthia, we will see you on Friday." He looked to the six from America who had joined the others. "Josef, it was good to see you again and to be able to meet Rayna. Moriah and Robert, it was nice to meet you. And Mick and Beth…..we will speak further at the commitment." From beside him Michelle nodded in agreement.

"I am glad you could come Christophe. It is good to have someone with a level head here," Philippe answered with a wry smile. With a smile, the couple left.

"I'm sorry Philippe, I have never learned to be quiet around Raoul," Marius said with regret, but he had trouble hiding a smile. "I promise that I will behave better on Friday."

"I hope so," Philippe replied. "If you would like, invite Giselle to the ceremony if she would like to attend. Maybe she can keep your mouth in check."

"Now that sounds like a delightful idea," Marius said happily.

End chapter.

**Aren't Duvall family gatherings fun? I can't wait to see if everyone remains on their best behavior at the ceremony. I look forward to your comments. Thanks for reading.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I wish that I could bring it back but this is the closest I can come to doing that.**

**Thank you for the reviews. You have all been very kind in your remarks.**

Chapter 17

"Just make sure to inform her that she needs a proper gown," Cynthia said with a laugh.

"Oh I will…next to you she will be the most beautiful woman there," Marius grinned and kissed Cynthia's cheek. Pausing, he became aware of the other women in the room who were staring at him with amused looks. "My apologies ladies, truthfully it will be a party full of beautiful women." He hurried from the room to contact Giselle before she retired to her freezer.

"It is a relief to see how he has rebounded from his disappointment earlier tonight," Josef chuckled as he pulled Rayna close.

"I spoke briefly with Giselle this evening and she's very nice. I suspect that she's waited some time for Marius to look her way," Rayna replied.

"I feel I must apologize for all the drama tonight," Philippe began.

"No apologies are necessary," Moriah answered quickly. "You have no control over your family's behavior. I am impressed with how you took charge tonight. Lance is correct; you have grown from the quiet vamp I remember. It would be wise for Lance to watch his back."

"No Moriah….I am no threat to Lance's power as long as he leaves me and mine alone," Philippe protested. "I have no desire to head this family and deal with all the conflict. Lance is welcome to it." He went to Beth and took her hand with a warm smile. "I was so proud of how you dealt with Coraline. It really is time for her to move beyond her obsession with Mick."

"I've tried to tell her that. She continues to play the sire card and it's getting old. Mick is my sire and he committed to me. I know how much you and Cynthia love her but I will not let her push me around," Beth said firmly.

"But we will not make a scene on Friday," Mick stated, putting on hand on Beth's shoulder. "We can remain civil for one more night."

"Of course," Beth agreed quickly. She squeezed Philippe's fingers reassuringly. "We won't fight at the commitment. I would never ruin your night."

"I know you won't," he answered honestly. He was completely aware that if there was any trouble it would without a doubt begin with Coraline. It was his fervent hope that Paul LaSalle would provide enough of a distraction to keep Coraline on her best behavior. "I am also grateful for how well you and Mick handled our city elders. The two of you really helped pull off my gamble in inviting them," he finished seriously.

"That was a smart move, my friend," Josef commented. "The look on Lance's face was priceless. You diffused that bomb completely."

"Ah, but Lance has a long memory and he was not happy to be put in that position," Philippe said thoughtfully. "I just knew I needed to keep the family in check." He went to Cynthia and slid an arm around her. "I wanted to make this evening as pleasant as it could be to show off my lady."

"Trust me Philippe…..the Duvalls are not the only family that clashes after centuries together," Robert spoke up. "You should have known the Wilcox clan of Baton Rouge. They managed to kill each other off in 1910….or was it 1912?" he asked Moriah.

"It was 1912 when Jared and Richard blew themselves up and burned to death on that riverboat. That had to be the angriest family I've ever seen," she replied with a shake of her head. "Now I think you and I need to retire if we are going to do our private tour of Paris tonight."

"I am ready," he acknowledged with a smile.

"I have so many last minute details to see to tomorrow," Cynthia said. "I cannot wait for Friday, the country house is ready. It is wonderful that you are all here to share this with us."

*M*M*

In their suite, Moriah stepped out of her dress as Robert undid his tie.

"Rayna believes that Andre may be planning to harm Josef for killing Darius," she informed him.

"From several conversations I had tonight it seems Andre is the loose cannon in the family. I was told he has not hidden his disdain for this ceremony and has dropped hints that Josef should have stayed in America," Robert replied. "I think we should prepare for trouble on Friday."

"Then do we remain with Josef tonight?" Moriah asked.

"No….I suggested to Josef that he and Rayna might enjoy showing Mick and Beth the sights tonight. I implied that Coraline could be trouble, and then I filled Mick in on my plan," Robert said with a satisfied look.

"You are brilliant my dear," Moriah approved as she stepped into his arms to hug him. "I do love how you think ahead."

"Tonight is for the two of us. I am feeling selfish."

"I approve of your selfishness," she murmured as she leaned in to kiss him.

*M*M*

The moment they entered the room, Josef pulled Rayna into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"Wow…" Rayna sighed once he raised his head. "I love you but what brought that on?" She reached out to catch the door edge and pushed it closed.

"I love you and I don't want you to ever doubt it," Josef insisted as he once more pulled her tightly against him. "Beauty, you are the world to me."

"Josef…." Rayna breathed in confusion. "Why would you think I don't know this?"

For once in his long life Josef was at a loss for a way to explain his feelings. It was not easy to confess to the fear he felt when he knew Rayna had once cared for Marius. Long lives led to so many complications.

Suddenly Rayna understood what had him worried.

"Oh my dear vamp…..Josef I love you. I have loved only you since I met you. Please don't be jealous of ten months with Marius such a long time ago," she said softly. She held his face in her hands and looked deep into his eyes.

"I'm not, just thrown off balance. I only want to look ahead to our future," he responded sincerely. Picking her up into his arms he carried her towards the bed. "I adore you."

*M*M*

Closing the door behind them, Beth slipped her arms around Mick's neck and leaned into his body. He bent his head to kiss her hungrily, pulling her snuggly in his embrace.

"It's just you and me handsome," Beth said huskily. "I think we need to reward ourselves after a very tense evening."

"What reward would that be?" Mick grinned.

"Lots of hot sex," Beth said saucily.

"I like the way you think," he responded with a low growl. "It's just you and me, baby."

Picking her up off her feet, he headed towards the bed. Beth's dress hiked up higher as she locked her legs around his waist. She made a concentrated effort to nibble on his neck as she brought one hand down to loosen his tie.

"Beth," he groaned as he bumped into the edge of the bed. From his tie she began to work on his shirt buttons being careful not to rip the shirt. His hands held her bottom, fingers sliding under the fabric of her dress to stroke her smooth thighs.

"Love me Mick," she whispered roughly. "Turn my world upside down."

"Anything you want," he promised as he gently deposited her on the bed. Hastily he began to undress as Beth quickly shed her dress. With an impish grin, she smiled up at him in just her undergarments.

"Hurry up St. John…I want you," she teased.

"Anything you wish," he responded as clothes hit the floor and he joined her on the bed.

*M*M*

Once inside their home, Raoul knew that he and Claudine were not alone. He paused in the foyer and inhaled, recognizing just who their visitor was. He could see that Claudine was also aware of who was present and her face mirrored her disapproval.

"Claudine, go upstairs, I will handle this," Raoul instructed curtly.

"I do not know what you are planning but I do not trust him," she said tightly. "You should not get involved in any of his plans."

"Just go upstairs; I said I would handle this. Trust me," Raoul insisted.

With a sigh and a slight shake of her head, Claudine headed up the stairs, knowing that this was not the time for any argument. As she disappeared to the upper level, Raoul headed to the study in the back of the house. He had been expecting this visit but did not want to have to deal with it this morning.

"And what did you learn tonight my brother?" came the inquiry from the darkened room.

"They have powerful age on their side Andre. Moriah is here and she brought her lover Robert LeClare…..he is at least 500 years old," Raoul reported as he entered the dark room.

"But Josef is here, correct?" Andre asked as he stepped into the light from the hallway, a glass of brandy and blood in one hand.

"Oh yes, he is here and as arrogant as ever."

Andre took a slow sip of his drink and nodded.

"Good, then we can proceed with our plans. It doesn't matter who else is here, we will finally be able to avenge Darius' murder," he said with a cold smile.

"I hope you are right," Raoul said with a nervous swallow. "If this goes wrong we will not only have Philippe's guests to deal with but we will have to answer to Lance as well."

End chapter

**The plot thickens and it seems that Rayna was right to worry. The muse has been busy throwing new ideas at me so let's see how this works out. Thank you for reading.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I wish we had more but I am grateful for the 16 episodes we did have.**

**I have to confess that I made a goof in the last chapter. In my haste to type I changed Robert's last name to LeClare when it should be DeClare. That is what I get for typing too fast and not using the poor vamp's last name very often. Sorry about that. Now back to those conspiring Duvall brothers.**

Chapter 18

"Lance will thank us in the end," Andre asserted firmly. "We owe Darius to avenge his murder and for that Josef must die."

"I just don't wish to bring Lance's wrath down on our heads," Raoul said hesitantly. "It might be wise to include him in our plans."

"You worry too much. We do not need Lance to carry this out. If he is unable to appreciate our efforts then perhaps he is not fit to lead our family," Andre suggested dismissively.

Raoul stared at his brother in shock, questioning what he just heard. Shaking his head, he headed to the bar and poured himself a stiff drink. Taking a large swallow, he looked at Andre once more.

"You are not suggesting that we might have to…to kill Lance, are you?" he asked fearfully. "He is our brother and Darius' appointed heir. I will not plot against him," Raoul finished in a rush.

Andre laughed harshly, gazing at his brother with pity.

"I never suggested killing Lance," he retorted. "But if he is unable to fulfill his duty to Darius then it might be time for him to relinquish his position as head of the family. I would never advocate shedding our family's blood but we must hold on to our power in this city. We cannot look like fools."

"So you do not consider Josef to be family then? Even though Darius always insisted he was our brother," Raoul questioned curiously. He clearly recalled how Darius had favored his older fledgling who had accompanied him to France. It was Darius' orders that no one should pursue Josef to the New World when he had banished his favorite son and they were forbidden from any interference in Josef's dealings in America. Darius had kept close watch on his progress over the decades. It was Darius' misguided faith in Kostan that had led to his ill-fated trip to Los Angeles and his eventual death at Josef's hand.

"Josef was never our blood. That was the one mistake our father made, he misjudged Josef's loyalty. Father never would believe how corrupted his favorite son was," Andre sneered.

"When do you plan to kill Josef?"

"At Philippe's country house. I prefer to be away from the city and the crowds. This commitment shall serve as a good distraction and allow me to get close without Josef suspecting," Andre replied.

"He is older than you. And remember that he has powerful friends," Raoul reminded him, swallowing another mouthful of brandy.

"I am no fool. Don't you worry how I will accomplish it; just make sure the others are distracted. You can do that brother, can't you?" he asked pointedly.

"I will do my best. The ceremony will be distracting and with a small nudge it will be easy to incite Coraline to create a scene over St. John. Our newly discovered niece is no shy child, she will fight back and that will center everyone's attention on them," Raoul smiled.

"Excellent," Andre said with pleasure.

*M*M*

As the sky darkened at twilight, casting reds, oranges and pinks across the city, the house came awake. Cynthia and Philippe dove right into the work of arranging transport for the items at their home to go to the country house. Cynthia's personal assistant was all ready out there, making sure that everything ran smoothly in the country. She would make sure the gowns, men's clothing and all the accessories were put in the dressing areas and handle all the other arrangements for the night.

Moriah and Robert arose, fed and headed out to explore Paris on their own. They felt secure that if Josef, Rayna, Beth and Mick stayed together that Josef would be safe. Robert had stopped by Mick's room to clue him in and advised him to not worry Josef with the details. With Beth off comparing outfits with Rayna, Mick decided not to share this with her either, he wanted her to enjoy her night out seeing the sights of Paris. Worrying about Josef's safety would only destroy it for her and he would only inform her of things if there was some danger present.

*M*M*

The pleasantly cool night held a light breeze as a small crowd enjoyed the view of the city from the heights of the Eiffel Tower. Beth snuggled close to Mick's side and sighed with pleasure as she looked out over the brilliant lights of the city below them. She could see Josef and Rayna out of the corner of her eye as they stood wrapped in each other's arms several feet away. Raising herself on her toes she brought her lips close to Mick's ear.

"Have you noticed anyone suspicious?" she whispered. Mick tore his gaze from the people on the deck with them and looked at her in surprise.

"What?"

"I know that something is worrying Rayna and you have been distracted since we left the house. If I noticed you scanning the crowds then you can be sure that Josef has noticed too," she said seriously. "Who are we worrying about?"

"Andre. Lance implied to Rayna and Josef that his brother still carries a grudge," Mick told her softly. "Robert advised me to keep my eyes open."

"Then we'll both keep our eyes open," Beth answered just as quietly, hugging him tightly. "But don't try to lie to Josef if he calls you on this. Please be honest with him."

"Hey you two lovebirds…..let's head down," Josef called over to them. "There is still plenty to see in this lovely city. You can cuddle later."

Securing Rayna's hand in his, Josef made his way to the elevators, arriving there before Mick and Beth could reach it. Taking hold of Rayna by the shoulders he looked at her with a solemn expression.

"Why is Mick in bodyguard mode?" he asked.

"Is he?" she responded innocently.

"Don't lie to me Rayna, what are you up to?" he demanded. "I will ask Mick directly if I must."

"Ask me what?" Mick enquired as he and Beth joined them.

"What has Beauty so tense and you looking over your shoulder every ten minutes," Josef said bluntly.

"They are watching for Andre Duvall," Beth informed him. "For some reason they felt you wouldn't notice."

Rayna gave Beth an annoyed look but Mick just nodded at Josef. He would not apologize for watching his friend's back.

"Andre is just making some noise," Josef declared as the elevator doors pinged open. The four entered the car and the doors slid shut leaving them alone in the car. "Lance only threw that at us to get the reaction that you gave him Beauty. Didn't I tell you that I could handle Andre?" he asked Rayna gently.

"You did but that doesn't mean Andre isn't plotting something," she answered her eyes glittering angrily. "I do not want to be surprised by him or any other Duvall. I will not lose you."

Josef pulled her close and held her securely. He bent his head to kiss her forehead.

"I'm not angry about your concern but please don't stress over this," he murmured reassuringly. "Andre has always been an over-confident bully." He smiled at Mick over Rayna's shoulder. "I appreciate you watching my back buddy but don't neglect Beth while you are busy playing bodyguard. This is a romantic city, enjoy it," he grinned.

"Don't worry Josef," Mick said as he wrapped one arm around Beth's shoulders. "I am capable of watching your back and giving Beth the attention she deserves."

"And I have a pretty good set of eyes myself," Beth piped up.

"See….Beauty…..it is all good. Relax my love, let's enjoy the night. I refuse to let the Duvall's ruin my return to Paris. My apologies Beth….I do realize that they are your family," Josef stated quickly.

"No problem Josef," Beth laughed. "I understand and do not feel the least bit offended."

Rayna smiled up at Josef, feeling better now that everything was out in the open.

"Good, now let's head for the Louvre museum, I promised Rayna a look at the Mona Lisa," Josef instructed.

"And just how do we get into the Louvre after hours?" Mick asked.

"Philippe set it up for us. He has arranged for a private tour," Josef disclosed to the others. "Now we had better get moving before our guide thinks we aren't coming."

As the foursome exited the elevator and headed to the car that Philippe had arranged for them, no one noticed the figure that disengaged from the shadows at the base of the tower, observing them leave. Andre had found it easy to bribe the driver Philippe had hired to drive his guests around town. He had every intention of observing Josef and his friends and learn all he could about his enemy.

Watching Josef enjoy the attentions of the lovely blonde who Raoul had told him was his wife annoyed Andre. Once again it seemed that Josef had found a beautiful woman who adored him. The blonde stirred a deep desire in Andre, making him wish to take her to bed but Raoul had warned him that even if Josef was dead, she would not welcome his attentions. He would have to satisfy his desires with only Josef's demise.

From the descriptions that Raoul had provided and photos that he had acquired in a computer search, Andre knew that the other blonde was Beth; Philippe's descendant. And the tall, dark vampire who was with her was Coraline's mistake; Mick St. John. Even without the information on Beth, he would have recognized the resemblance she bore to Philippe's fragile human wife who he had always found delightful.

Staying well out of sight and far enough away to avoid being scented, he watched the foursome as they got into the car that had been provided for them. It was evident to him that St. John was scanning the crowd, his senses on alert even while he joked with the others. Andre was curious to see just how much of a threat the American vamp was to his plans. He did not doubt that the young man was sharp and there was a strong air of competence surrounding him. It did not take a genius to see what had drawn Coraline to this man and Andre was amazed that Lance could not see why she could not let him go. He would not make the mistake of underestimating Mick St. John and Raoul had better make sure he was nowhere near Josef when Andre was ready to make his move.

End chapter.

**Thank you so much for reading. Things are moving closer to the conclusion. The commitment is going to be interesting. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. After all this time I do feel like I have a small claim to it though.**

**Thank you for the lovely reviews. Getting ready for the holidays have not given me much time with my notebooks so I am a bit slow with my postings.**

Chapter 19

With a deep satisfied sigh, Cynthia watched the truck drive away with the clothing and other supplies for the commitment ceremony. Everything was prepared for the following night and she felt that a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Marion would have the situation well organized by the time they arrived in the country the next afternoon.

Coraline had called her earlier and had surprisingly seemed happy with the idea of Paul LaSalle attending the ceremony. She could not resist gushing about a necklace she had acquired that would look lovely with her gown. For once it was pleasant to have Coraline prattle on about herself and not bring up Mick or Beth. Knowing it was too much to hope that her friend had given up her dream of getting back together with Mick; it was nice to see her focused on other things.

Moments later she heard and sensed Philippe approaching just as his arms slid around her from behind. She leaned back against him and rested her head against his chest. She loved how his arms felt around her.

"It is all coming together," Philippe whispered in her ear. "You have done a wonderful job, my love. I cannot wait for tomorrow night. I want to commit to you." His lips travelled from her ear down to her shoulder.

"I have everything ready, I 'm just not sure that all of our guests are as excited to celebrated with us as we are," she replied with a shiver. His possessive hold and insistent lips made her whole body yearn for him.

"Would you prefer that I withdraw the invitations to Lance and Raoul?" he asked.

"No…." Cynthia exclaimed turning in his embrace. "I cannot help believing that it will be important for Lance to attend. And believe it or not, I think Claudine could become friendlier although I have my doubts about Raoul. However, there is no reason to include Jacques….he hates me."

"I am so sorry that Andre has made your life since your turning so miserable. I was not strong enough to kill him for what he did to you so long ago," Philippe apologized.

"I have never wanted to be a wedge between you and your brothers. That is not a choice I would want you to make," she said in dismay, both hands reaching up to frame his face. "All I ever wanted was to belong to you and be accepted as part of this family. I wanted you to be the one to turn me. And you did protect me once you knew what he had done."

"I know…..I just wish it could have been more," Philippe said kissing her gently. "All I wanted was to sire you and have you forever. My greatest regret is that I let us drift apart for so very long." The pain of letting her slip away was clear in his eyes. "I let Coraline take over and that was wrong."

"Please don't think that Philippe, you did nothing wrong. It is difficult for me to admit this since Coraline is like a sister to me, but seeing the true emotion and love in Mick when he committed to Beth made me realize how much I wanted that with you. I want to forget all mistakes we have both made and grab onto forever starting now," Cynthia confessed honestly. She kept her hands on either side of his face, her eyes locked on his. "Together we can do anything…..including surviving your brothers." Her smile told him how much she believed in what she said.

With a totally self-assured smile on his handsome face, Philippe swept her up in his arms. He gave her a searing kiss and turned towards the house and headed inside. He wasted no time moving upstairs.

"You make me lose all sense of reason my dearest. After all these years I am still excited to have you in my arms," he said hoarsely. It left him with a sense of amazement that after more than two hundred years he still felt a fresh a rush of desire when she was close to him. A flame he had feared at one time was gone had been reignited eight years ago. With one foot he nudged the door to their room open and hurried inside to show her how much he adored her.

"I love you," Cynthia whispered as he kicked the door shut behind them.

"Turning you was the smartest thing I have ever done," Philippe stated.

"My hero," Cynthia sighed dramatically. Philippe dropped her on the bed, grinning at her.

"You disrespectful fledgling," he said unable to keep a scowl on his face. "I must teach you not to mock my declarations of love." He began to unbutton his shirt.

"I am always willing to learn," Cynthia said cheekily as she pulled her top over her head.

"I do so love a cooperative student," Philippe responded with a low growl before he pounced on her, his lips fusing whit hers.

*M*M*

Andre was waiting outside the Louvre museum when the two couples emerged from the building. Hi had checked with the car's driver and knew that Josef had requested they be delivered to the club that the men had visited the night before. As soon as he knew they were done in the museum, he headed for the club. He had a burning desire to observe Josef and his lady, not to mention St. John. He needed to know more about the young vampire.

If he were being honest, Andre would have to admit that he also wanted a closer look at Josef's woman, Rayna. While he knew this woman would not welcome his advances, he could not shake his attraction to this lovely blonde. He had never been a vampire to ignore his desires and blondes were a weakness of his. Perhaps that had been why he had been so fond of Philippe's human wife that Beth bore such a strong resemblance to.

At the club, Andre made himself comfortable in the far corner of Le Cirque des Reves, the premier vampire club in Paris. The staff here knew him well and always catered to his desires. Within minutes of being seated, town of his favorite freshies appeared, presenting their wrists. Feeling particularly pleased with the way his evening was going, he invited the brunette to sit opposite him while the blonde settled on his lap. Enjoying her B positive blood, he looked up to see that his quarry had arrived. Keeping her on his lap, he watched the foursome as they were greeted by the club owner. Germain was very effusive with his greeting of the new arrivals.

Making use of the freshies to conceal his presence, Andre was pleased to see that the foursome was shown to a table on the opposite side of the room. He had been concerned that Josef would request a private room and deny him the chance to watch the Americans. From this spot, Andre could see them but the girls managed to keep him from being easily spotted.

Josef held his lady's hand as they sat down next to each other; his manner was relaxed and confident. Andre observed as St. John pulled Beth close for a very public kiss and chuckled to himself. Only a very stupid vamp would hit on her after seeing how she responded to her man. He had to concede that both men had established the strong nature of their ties to the two lovely women. With great interest he saw a waitress deliver a carafe of blood to the table and remembered hearing Coraline complain once that St. John was reluctant to feed fresh. At the time he had thought that his sister was a careless sire however he had learned later that St. John had successfully turned Beth Turner and taught her to feed fresh. Listening to his brothers talk had given him plenty of information on what occurred in America. Philippe had been very proud of how well his Beth had adapted to her new life as a vampire. It was clear that St. John was not as reluctant a vampire as he had once been.

As interesting as the young couple were, Andre's attention once again shifted back to Josef. His brother was correct; Josef was still arrogant as he held court at the table as if he had never left Europe. If he was concerned about retaliation for taking Darius' head it was not reflected in his behavior this evening. It galled Andre to see how Josef expressed no remorse for his sire's death.

Shifting his focus, he found himself watching the pale blonde that sat at Josef's side. Rayna was difficult to ignore and he saw her lean over to kiss Josef's cheek and her laughter carried across the room to him. Andre could see he was not the only male in the room who noticed her presence and he could see desire and envy in many of the men's eyes around him. For a split second his eyes met hers and he quickly shifted in his seat to block her view. He could not risk her noticing him. It was disappointing that she would not be interested in him once Josef was dealt with. He fought off the feelings that looking at her roused in him.

Angrily he shifted his thoughts back to his plans for Josef. It was better to focus on revenge and forget about what he could not have. It would not be enough to just shoot Josef in the heart and then behead the vamp. It was imperative that Josef knew who was going to kill him and why. Darius' soul would not rest easy until he had a proper revenge. Andre would only be happy when he saw the fear in the bastard's eyes. Kostan had to die in pain and that would not happen unless he could be isolated from his friends.

"Lily, please change places with Helene," he told the blonde and beckoned to the brunette to get up from her seat. Lily sat down opposite him in Helene's chair, once again blocking Andre from the table across the room. Helene settled on his lap and lifted her wrist to his lips. "Thank you my petite," he said as he bit.

After a short drink he kept the girl close and thought about how he would go about completing his mission. A visit to Coraline earlier that week had allowed him to flatter his sister into discussing Cynthia's plans for her commitment ceremony. His little sister was suspicious at first but when he had sympathized with her pain at having to see St. John with his new woman, Coraline finally spoke freely. He had left her home with a fairly detailed knowledge of how the ceremony would unfold and had the workings of a plan.

Coraline had told him that the commitment would take place in the ballroom of the home and that while the guest gathered there, Josef would remain in an adjacent room until just before the happy couple made an appearance. She had bemoaned the fact that she would be alone while Mick would have his Beth at his side. Pretending to comfort her he had implied that she would be so lovely that St. John would be a fool to ignore her. Once she was appeased by that she continued to tell him more. He knew that he would have his best shot at Josef while he was alone in that other room.

Raoul would have to create the distraction that he had promised for this to work. He could not succeed if the others came looking for Josef right away. He was sure that Josef would not be expecting him at that moment and that would work in his favor. He liked the idea of Raoul pushing Coraline into making a scene over her ex-husband. She was not able to shed her desire for the man and it was only necessary for Raoul to fan the flames to set her off. That would keep Moriah and the others busy and prevent any of them for noticing that Josef was not in the room until it was too late.

End chapter.

**Thank you for reading. I have taken the name of the club from a book I am reading called "The Night Circus". It seemed to fit in this story and I hope the author doesn't mind that I borrowed it. I love knowing your thoughts, please share.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. But the support of all of you has made me feel like I own a portion of it.**

**Thanks for reading. The holidays have played havoc on my writing but I hope to get back in the swing when the New Year rolls around.**

Chapter 20

Beth let her gaze travel around the room, taking in the whole club before turning her stare to Josef and Mick.

"So…..this is where you men came the other night," she stated. Her eyes narrowed as a leggy redhead passed their table and gave Mick a warm smile. Beth looked from the girl to Mick with raised eyebrows.

"She is just a freshie Beth," Mick muttered under his breath.

"You really should be over that jealousy Blondie," Josef chuckled. "Since he has turned you, Mick hasn't had many opportunities to sample fresh AO negative."

Beth's eyes went wide and then she giggled.

"I'm sorry, I guess I'm just suspicious of all French women," she answered and leaned over to kiss Mick's cheek. "I know the affect you have on women because I am still under your spell."

"Nicely played Beth," Josef approved as Mick smiled and pulled her over to his lap, hugging her close. Josef's attention shifted to Rayna who was uncharacteristically quiet. Her eyes kept drifting around the room, her drink untouched. "Beauty, what is wrong?" he enquired.

"Someone is watching us," she responded quietly, her eyes still searching the room. "I can feel it."

"There are many men watching you, my love," Josef laughed lightly.

"No Josef, that is not what I mean," Rayna retorted sharply. "There is someone studying us and it is not with admiration." Her serious grey eyes locked on his, her worry a tangible thing. "I have never felt this strongly about anything in my long life."

"Moriah's magic is rubbing off on you," he teased, trying to ease her worry as he took her hand in his. "No one is going to hurt us in this club. I know you are worried but please relax and trust me. We are in no danger."

While Josef attempted to reassure Rayna, both Mick and Beth found themselves also scanning the room closely. Seeing nothing that she would consider suspicious, Beth turned back to Rayna, patting her shoulder in comfort. Mick's gaze kept returning to a table on the other side of the room. The occupant of one table was skillfully hidden behind a freshie and his detective senses went on full alert. Every table in the room was clearly visible but this one. Why would only one vampire feel the need to hide?

"Josef, I do not think that Rayna is over-reacting on this," Mick stated quietly as he turned back to the others. "There is one table over there where the occupant is doing his best to stay out of view." With a slight jerk of his head he indicated the table across the room.

"Well if Andre is here then perhaps I should go say hello," Josef suggested as he started to rise.

"No!" Rayna whispered fiercely as she fastened a tight grip on his arm with one hand.

"I have a better idea," Beth interjected quickly and Josef settled back in his seat, curiosity written on his face. Mick gave her a wary look, unsure just what she was planning. With a reassuring pat to Mick's arm, Beth proceeded to explain. "I think a certain redhead would love to share her rare blood with Mick," she began, nodding toward the freshie who was standing only a few feet from the table in question. "I know what Andre looks like, why don't I invite her over? I will be able to sneak a look and he will never suspect a thing."

Mick hesitated only a moment before nodding his agreement. Beth would not be in danger and her plan was a good one.

"What's the freshie's name handsome?" Beth teased, knowing that Mick would never feed without learning the girl's name.

"Cleo," Mick answered automatically. "Are you sure you are okay with this?"

"You love only me," Beth smiled as she rose to her feet. She leaned in to kiss him quickly. "I have always trusted you."

Mick trailed his fingers along her cheekbone before she turned away and headed across the room.

Forcing herself not to openly stare at the vampire at the table Mick had indicated Beth walked over to the waiting redhead.

"Cleo….my husband would be very pleased if you would join us. He was very impressed with you the other night," Beth told the girl with a smile.

"He was very nice," Cleo responded in accented English, returning the smile. "I would love to join you." She had been impressed with the handsome American and knew that special requests always tipped well.

As they returned to the table, Beth snuck a quick glance at the table Mick had pointed out and recognized Andre Duvall. She avoided his eyes and increased her pace to rejoin the others, feeling his eyes fasten on her. A small sigh of relief escaped her as she saw that three other freshies, two men and a petite Asian female were waiting with the others.

Mick gave the Cleo a friendly smile and held out his hand to her. Beth took her seat and watched briefly as Mick took a gentle bite of the freshie's wrist. Then she turned her attention to Stephan, making a point to make the young man comfortable before biting and drinking. When everyone had finished their drink, Josef dismissed them with thanks and a generous tip. He then turned back to Beth with interest.

"It's Andre," she confirmed.

"We need to leave now," Rayna insisted urgently.

"No," Josef contradicted. "We are in no danger and I will not be run off by a Duvall. I am sure he is only watching and must have been entertained immensely by this little scene." He looked quickly at the table and caught a brief glimpse of Andre.

At his table, Andre found himself surprised by Beth's actions. She had brought a freshie to St. John and the man had shown no hesitancy in feeding fresh. Andre was sure that Coraline had misjudged how well adapted her ex really was. And it appeared that his great niece had been checking him out when she approached the freshie. There would have been no need for her to personally speak to the redhead; any of the staff would have happily brought the girl to the table. He noticed Josef lean forward to try and get a better look at him and for the briefest moment their eyes met before Andre shifted and the contact was broken. Taking a sip of cognac, he allowed a small satisfied smile to grace his lips as he enjoyed the smooth liquid. It was going to be a glorious revenge.

An hour later the four from America prepared to leave. Josef signaled to Germain and praised him for the hospitality and tipped him handsomely. Andre watched them leave, irked by how the Frenchman fawned all over Josef in appreciation. Once he was sure that they were gone, he dismissed his girls and rose to his feet. He would not follow his quarry further this night and only needed to finalize his plans with Raoul. Tomorrow night could not come soon enough, he was eager to exact his revenge.

*M*M*

The following day the house began stirring early in the afternoon, in preparation to travel out to the country home. There was a spark of anticipation in the air as bags were packed and last minute details were seen to. As the luggage was loaded into a van, the vampires headed to a stretch limo for their ride out to the country estate. Robert and Moriah were coyly avoiding any questions as to their activities the night before, acting like a pair of teenagers. Not wanting to spoil their fun, Josef decided not to tell them of their almost brush with Andre.

The ride to the country was relaxed and the visitors to France enjoyed their first look at the outskirts of Paris. Cynthia pointed out the locations of several entrances to secluded country homes of several of the vampires who had attended the party several nights ago. It did not seem very long before they pulled up the long driveway and stopped in front of a large house that belonged to another era. Philippe had explained that three of his brothers also had homes in the area. Marius and Andre had no interest in maintaining a large house and Lance had possession of the ancestral home that was several miles away. Once inside, Beth and Rayna exclaimed in delight over the exquisitely decorated entry, marveling at the way it felt they had taken a step back in time.

"I assure you that this may feel old but there are certain modern conveniences," Philippe responded. "Freezers and modern plumbing have been added over the years. The commitment is set for midnight, please feel free to explore once you have settled your things in your rooms."

"Ladies, since getting dressed is an involved process, I believe we should meet and begin to prepare at around nine. We will be dressing in a room just off from the ballroom which is in the back of the house. And Josef, Robert….please be kind in helping Mick get dressed. Philippe will show you where you can dress on the second floor. Remember that Mick is new to these clothes," Cynthia instructed.

"Oh we'll be kind to the newbie," Josef laughed as he patted Mick on the back.

"I will make sure Mick looks perfect," Robert assured Cynthia and earned a grateful smile from Mick.

"I am sure that all of you men will look quite elegant," Moriah said with a twinkle in her eye.

Cynthia drew Beth aside with a serious look on her face.

"Forgive me Beth but Coraline will be joining us when we dress. She has promised to behave. I could not tell her to stay away, she is my best friend," Cynthia confessed softly.

"I understand completely Cynthia. I figured she would join us and I promise I won't cause trouble. This is your night and Coraline and I can be civil for one night," Beth said kindly. She had expected to deal with Coraline's presence on this night.

"Thank you, I knew I could depend on you," Cynthia said hugging her quickly. "I know she can be difficult but it is important to me to share this with her."

Beth nodded and glanced at Rayna who was talking to Moriah.

"I know what it is like to share with a sister," she replied.

Cynthia hurried off to find Marion and check on all the last minute details. Rayna joined Beth, linking her arm through Beth's.

"Let's see our rooms and then explore this place. I have never been in a place quite this lavish in my entire life, it is like visiting a museum," she suggested. "What was Cynthia asking you?"

"Coraline is going to dressing with us. Cynthia was just giving me a heads up about it," Beth sighed.

"Let's hope Coraline is on her best behavior. I promise I will try to ignore her if she tries to stir things up. We are both better than her, we won't let her make us look bad," Rayna grinned.

Beth laughed and nodded, it was going to be an entertaining evening.

End chapter.

**Thank you for reading. A Happy New Year to all of you. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. Nope….never did and never will. That is so sad.**

**Well dear readers….shall we see what the ladies are wearing? It is time to get ready for the party.**

Chapter 21

The afternoon passed quickly into the evening and after a short rest, everyone gathered downstairs to feed and then prepare. The mood was light and teasing as they consumed glasses of fresh blood and complimented their hosts on their beautiful home. After a short while, Beth and Rayna stated that it was time for Philippe and Cynthia to be separated.

"I agree with the young ones, it is time to honor some traditions," Moriah spoke up. She looked at the ornate clock on the mantel and frowned. "Cynthia, I know you suggested we prepare at nine but perhaps we should begin now. You know it always takes longer to dress than we anticipate. Remember, our purpose is to make you look breathtaking," she added.

"I do believe that I am ready to begin if you are," Cynthia said with a smile.

"Begin what?" a sweet voice asked from the doorway. Coraline leaned against the doorframe with a satchel over her shoulder and a smile on her face.

"Getting dressed…oh I am so glad you came early Cora," Cynthia said brightly. She hurried to her friend and hugged her. "I am looking forward to seeing this wonderful necklace you told me you found."

"It is fabulous," Coraline confirmed. "I have a surprise for you as well," she added with a mysterious smile. She looked at the other women standing in a group. "Ladies, our mission tonight is to make Cynthia look absolutely stunning."

"I agree, that is the plan," Moriah stated with a nod.

Beth and Rayna eyed Coraline cautiously, not sure if she intended to be this friendly the whole time.

"And you men….." Coraline continued amused at the confused look on Beth and Rayna's faces. "It is your job to make sure Philippe is worthy of his bride. Remember to tie your cravats properly," she winked. Crossing over to Philippe, she went up on tiptoes, hugging him and kissing his cheek. "I am sure you will look very handsome dear brother. I am positive this commitment will be perfect."

"Thank you Cora," Philippe replied as he returned her hug.

"All right ladies, we have lots to do," Coraline announced as she turned back to the women with shining eyes. "It is time to work our magic on Cynthia and ourselves as well." Not waiting for a response she went to Cynthia, took her hand and headed out of the room. The other three followed.

A large room on the ground floor had been set aside for the women to dress. The lovely gowns that Cynthia had selected were on mannequins and accessories were set out on several tables. Beth paused before the dress chosen for her and then looked around the room with wide eyes.

"Somehow they look even more beautiful here," she murmured.

"It's the candlelight," Rayna smiled. "This blue suits you, you will look amazing."

"How do I get into this?" Beth voiced the concern that had been bothering her since she had seen the dress in Cynthia's Paris house. The deep sapphire blue silk shone in the light, gold lace and trim accenting it with a lighter blue petticoat showing through the open skirt.

"We will help you," Moriah assured her.

"We will dress and then have help with our hair and makeup," Cynthia said indicating four women waiting off to the side.

"You relax for now and have some champagne while we dress and then we can help you," Coraline instructed as she ran her fingers over the deep purple satin of her gown. Ivory lace and gold ribbons trimmed the gown with long creamy lace extending from the tight sleeves.

"Come on Beth, let us introduce you to stays and panniers," Rayna grinned.

Beth gazed at the wide skirts of the gown suspiciously as Rayna lifted the dress off the mannequin and revealed the petticoat and under that the structured hoops that spread the dress out to the sides.

"It all looks heavy."

"You're a vampire Beth, this weight won't be a bother," Rayna told her. "Just wait to see how your curves look in this."

Moriah and Rayna helped Beth into her chemise and then set the stays, laughing at how her posture was now so much straighter. The panniers or side hoops felt awkward but once the rest of the gown was in place she could see how her waist looked smaller and her figure curvier. Smoothing the satin while looking in the full length mirror, Beth marveled at how she looked like someone out of an old painting.

"You look like a proper lady of the court," Moriah announced.

"Mick will go into shock," Rayna whispered, grinning.

The others got to work with the assistance of the women and soon they were all decked out like ladies of the 18th century. Moriah's dark skin glowed against the dark rose silk and white lace. She wore her gold collar which brought out the gold threads and pale pink adornments on the skirt and bodice of the gown. Rayna's paleness was amplified by the rich burgundy dress that she wore. Her elbow length sleeves ended in a cascade of gold lace that went almost to her wrists and also was tucked into the low bodice. Light pink ribbons trimmed the dress with gold threads. Her only jewelry was her diamond dangles in her ears and the bracelet from Josef on her left wrist.

The royal purple gown that Coraline wore enhanced her dark beauty and she moved with the ease and grace of a woman accustomed to the wide hoops of that fashion. Her underskirt that could be seen between the folds of her gown was a light lilac and the back pleats hung in elegant folds from her shoulders. The lace and trim on her gown was lilac and gold embroidery decorated the dress in floral designs. She took an ornate necklace out of a box and fastened it around her neck, admiring how it looked in the mirror. Wide gold links were spaced with three round amethyst stones on each length and in the center there hung a large single stone in a gold mount. The half dollar-sized gem was a deep vibrant purple.

"Oh Cora….that is beautiful," Cynthia exclaimed as she went to her friend and examined the necklace.

"Isn't it? I saw it in the store and knew it was made for this dress," Coraline responded, pleased at the reaction the necklace had created. She smiled radiantly at her best friend. "We now need to get you into your gown before beginning our hair and makeup. It is time to make Cynthia a bride."

The four women went to work, getting Cynthia into her ivory and gold gown. Her petticoat that could be seen through the folds of her outer gown was a pale yellow and ivory lace was on her sleeves and trimming the low bodice. Gold ribbons and pearls decorated the edges of her gown and across the bodice as well. She glittered brightly in the candlelight, looking every inch a bride.

"I have the perfect final touch," Coraline confided as she stepped back to observe. She hurried to her satchel and withdrew an old velvet box. "Cynthia…..this was my mother's. She would want you to wear this; it is perfect for that gown." She opened the box to reveal a gorgeous antique necklace. The intricate scalloped chains were connected to pearl encrusted gold bars and in the middle hung a grape-sized single pearl set in a mount with diamonds around it.

"Oh Cora…I remember your mother wearing that," Cynthia sighed. She shook her head. "I can't wear this."

"But you must," Coraline insisted. "It will please Philippe."

"It is perfect as your 'something borrowed'. You must wear it," Beth added.

"It's lovely, like it was made to be worn with that dress," Rayna spoke up.

Coraline nodded, pleased at the unexpected support.

"What a lovely gesture," Moriah told Coraline, touching her cheek lightly. "This is very thoughtful of you."

"It was the best I could do for my sister to be," Coraline said softly, amazed at how Moriah's approval touched her. "This is her night."

"You are a good friend, child," Moriah replied.

"Thank you Cora, Philippe will be touched by your gesture," Cynthia said accepting the box, tears forming in her eyes.

"Don't cry, it will not be proper to have red eyes," Rayna warned with a laugh. "Let Coraline put that lovely necklace on you."

Coraline took the necklace out and fastened the antique jewelry around her friend's throat. It was a perfect touch to the dress and completed the look of a time gone by.

A knock on the door drew one of the assistants hurrying to see who was there while the two of the others went to work on Moriah's hair and makeup. The fourth began to get things ready to work on Rayna. The woman returned from the door with a box and a card and took them to Beth. In surprise Beth accepted them and looked at the card in puzzlement.

_My love….I have no idea what you are wearing but since this matches your eyes, I am sure it will be perfect. Mick_

"Oh my…." Beth sighed as she dropped the card in her haste to open the box. As the cover was removed she saw a deep blue sapphire teardrop on a delicate gold chain. It was a simple necklace, not flashy but the blue of the dime-sized stone did indeed match her eyes and complimented her dress.

"Beth, how sweet," Rayna said as she retrieved the note card and examined the gift.

"I love him so," Beth whispered. She lifted the chain from the box and looked at Rayna with wet eyes. "Would you put this on me?" She handed it to her friend and turned so that Rayna could fasten it for her. Her fingers reached up to stroke the stone as it rested against her skin. Beth couldn't wait to find Mick and thank him properly.

Cynthia saw the pain that flashed briefly in Coraline's eyes when she realized that Mick had sent that to Beth. It was so unfair that her friend could not let go of her feelings for the man. It seemed like she would never get over this obsession.

"I think we need to go your hair and makeup Coraline, Paul will want to see you at your best," she comforted the woman. "Ladies, our time is getting short, let's finish getting ready."

The women went to work and soon laughter took over as hair was pinned up and curled to try and copy the styles of the 1700s. Makeup was applied and in short order the women were set to dazzle the men.

End chapter.

**Thank you all for reading and Happy New Year. We have the women ready to party and next we will take care of the men. I do hope that I was able to give you some idea of what the gowns looked like. I took most of my information from information I found on Wikipedia. There were some great photos there. Thank you.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I make no profit from this story other than the lovely reviews I receive.**

**Thank you for the support you have given me over the years. Now we must discover what the men are wearing and if the guests have all arrived.**

Chapter 22

"You are a sentimental fool," Josef laughed as Mick sent the servant off with the box for Beth. "You are bound and determined to make me look bad."

"You shower Rayna with gifts, it is impossible to make you look bad. I'm trying to give Beth something nice in case Coraline is being difficult," Mick said quietly. He had felt uncomfortable since Coraline had breezed into the house.

"It was a nice move Romeo," Josef said lightly but he clapped Mick on the shoulder and shook him slightly. "Now let's make sure you look like a proper 18th century gentleman."

"I'm yours to mold," Mick said with a weak laugh.

Robert joined the two men and they went to work, dressing Mick. Josef had never doubted that Mick would look good in the clothes of the 1700s. Cynthia had planned her choices for the couple's well and she had selected a dark midnight blue coat and breeches for Mick with the waistcoat being the shade of blue of Beth's dress, touched with gold embroidery decorating both coat and waistcoat. His full sleeved, white shirt had lace edging his cuffs and cascading down the front.

"Now doesn't he look dashing?" Robert chuckled as Mick straightened up from buckling his shoes.

"The hair is just a bit too short to tie back," Josef grinned. "Maybe we should dig out a wig for him after all."

"No…..no, I hated those things," Philippe spoke up quickly. "That was my one condition with Cynthia; I could not bear to put one of those on again." He looked very elegant in ivory and gold from head to foot. Even his shoes were cream brocade covered with gold buckles.

"And aren't you every inch the bridegroom," Marius remarked as he entered the room. He was dressed in forest green with light tan ruffles and embroidery. "You are very handsome brother."

"I think we all look remarkable," Robert commented as he adjusted his coat and the lace at his wrists. With touches of grey in his sideburns he still made the deep rose coat and waistcoat with black breeches look manly. "We will make our ladies proud."

Josef was straightening his stockings and then stood and admired the cut of his deep burgundy coat. It covered his ivory and gold waistcoat and ivory short pants.

"You and Cynthia did very well with the sizes Philippe. I could swear I had a coat like this back in the day." He admired his reflection and then bent to tug on breeches around the knees. "I have not missed the short pants though," he grumbled.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who looks good in silk stockings," Mick grinned devilishly, remembering Josef's earlier teasing.

"I look good in anything," Josef remarked indignantly as the others laughed.

"Well….I must return to Giselle, I left her admiring the ballroom. I followed Cynthia's instructions and we found her a fantastic green gown. She is magnificent," Marius said proudly.

"You appear to have recovered quite nicely after learning about Rayna and me," Josef commented quietly from beside Marius.

The Frenchman turned to him with a small smile.

"I believe I was in love with a memory that had grown larger with time. Rayna is a special woman but she never declared her love for me. I only need to see how she looks at you to know how much she loves you. You always were a lucky vamp Josef," he responded punching Josef in the shoulder. "Now….to my complete surprise, Giselle has expressed her interest, I must not neglect her," he laughed and hurried out.

"It is time for all of us to go greet the guests," Philippe announced. "The women will join us as they become ready and Cynthia will wait until it is midnight to appear." He headed out of the room while Mick and Josef lingered.

"Have you planned your speech?" Mick asked.

"Have you ever known me to be at a loss for words?" Josef smirked.

"No….never," Mick grinned. Then he sobered. "You are aware that Andre was not observing us last night just for the fun of it. He is plotting something and we know he does not care if this ceremony is disrupted."

"I am aware," Josef responded just as seriously. "He will not surprise me and I will not change what I plan on doing. I will have you to watch my back, I could not ask for more support, brother."

"It's not just me," Mick said, touched by Josef's faith in him. "Don't forget Rayna, she may be in a fancy dress but she will not sit quietly or ignore a fight."

"My Beauty is a feisty one," Josef smiled. "Now let's go find our ladies. I always love to see Rayna dressed up, she sparkles. I'm sure Beth is looking forward to thanking you for that lovely bauble."

"I can't wait to see it on her," Mick admitted. He wanted to see her in the fancy dress and how the sapphire would match her eyes.

When they reached the ballroom, many of the guests had all ready arrived. Christophe and Michelle presented a stylish couple in their fancy clothes. Michelle glittered in deep canary yellow and Christophe was her compliment in a gold coat over cream breeches and waistcoat. Raoul and Claudine had chosen to go with warm tones as well. The peach of Claudine's dress warmed her pale skin and Raoul looked regal in a deep russet brown coat over black.

Mick noticed as he scanned the room that it was easy to spot those who were familiar with wearing the old fashioned clothing. Giselle did indeed look beautiful in her dark green gown but she had trouble moving gracefully in the wide side hoops. She may have been from an old bloodline but she had only been turned 150 years ago and was not used to the fashions of the 1700s. Claudine also looked uneasy in the wide skirts as she had been turned in the early 1900s and had not experienced the awkward gown. And Mick was unsure of the higher heels to the shoes he wore…..wishing he had his own boots on his feet.

Moriah and Robert were talking with Paul LaSalle, who was very debonair in a charcoal coat over a lilac waistcoat and black breeches. Lance arrived after the others, pausing in the doorway to survey the room. A small smile stole over his face as he looked at the group that was assembled before him. He had thought this idea of dressing up had been foolish but seeing the old fashions in the candlelight revived fond memories.

"He certainly enjoys making an entrance," Josef murmured to Mick as they both observed the one-eyed vampire pose in the doorway. Lance showed off every inch of his royal blood in the black and gold coat over the deep purple of the rest of his outfit.

"He's not the only one," Mick replied, nudging Josef and pointing to a side door where Beth and Rayna had appeared. The two blondes glittered in the candlelight as several of the guests paused to stare at them.

"Absolutely spectacular," Josef said in admiration as he smiled at the women. "We are two extremely lucky men."

"We are indeed," Mick agreed as he stood and took in the vision of Beth in her gown. She was looking around the room until her eyes locked on his and she smiled in appreciation of what she saw. One hand went to her throat to touch the sapphire and she executed a small curtsy before heading towards him. Mick moved forward and they met in the middle of the room. Bowing slightly, he took her hand and pressed his lips to her fingers.

"My lady," he said with desire in his voice.

"My lord," Beth giggled. "You look so handsome. Thank you for the lovely necklace, it is beautiful."

"I knew it would match your eyes."

"Isn't this just incredible?" Beth sighed as she looked around the room.

"I feel like I am in a time warp. But you are so lovely; you look like you belong to that era."

"As you do. Mick, believe me, you look amazing," Beth said as she stroked the sleeve of his coat. She fingered the fancy gold embroidery on the waistcoat.

"I'm not sure I like the lace," Mick said picking at his wrist. Beth smiled and reached up to touch the ruffle of lace down the front of his chest. She tugged it slightly and went up on her tiptoes for a kiss. Mick happily obliged.

From a place near the wall, Coraline watched the couple in blue. It was a stab in the heart to see how caught up in each other they were. She had never seen Mick so happy.

"They are certainly an attractive couple," Raoul whispered from behind her.

"Shut up Raoul," Coraline said sourly.

"Have you lost interest? Will you let Beth win?" he continued to jab at her.

Spinning around, Coraline glared at her brother.

"He….does….not….love….me," she hissed painfully. "I cannot win."

"You are his sire."

"And he is hers. That is the unfortunate truth," she said brokenly.

"Coraline…..my dear, you are a vision," Paul LaSalle announced as he approached the siblings. He had overheard the last part of their exchange and he scowled at Raoul. "You are the most beautiful woman in the room. You should not be hiding here by the wall, let us go get some champagne." He held out a hand.

"I would love that," Coraline answered with a grateful smile. She accepted his hand and walked away from Raoul.

"That was interesting," Josef commented to Rayna as he watched Coraline walk away with Paul. "Now….it is almost midnight, I must prepare."

"I'll come with you."

"You are too distracting, wait here. I will be fine," he replied with a kiss.

"Josef…..I wish to speak to you alone," Lance announced as he joined them. "There are things that must be said."

End chapter.

**Thanks for reading…please share your thoughts. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I wonder if the WB or CBS would even care that I am writing this.**

**Thanks for reading. Let's see what Lance is up to and how Josef reacts.**

Chapter 23

Josef led the way into the next room, where Philippe had told him he could prepare in. The décor was very masculine and appeared to serve as a den with some weapons on display and paintings of an outdoor nature. Halfway into the room Josef turned to face Lance. The taller vampire had closed the door after entering the room but made no effort to come further inside.

"All right Lance, just what did you need to speak to me about?" Josef asked pleasantly.

"Do you really believe that your return to Paris would not cause trouble?" Lance said pointedly.

"And what trouble am I causing?"

"This was Darius' city."

"Again with Darius? Lance, he is dead, let it go," Josef sighed. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared pointedly at him. In spite of Lance's bluster, he didn't feel that he was about to attack.

"He was our sire…."

"Please, don't play the sire card again," Josef said in disgust. "He sired me but he wasted no time banishing me to America. He had no care that I couldn't return to my homeland. Darius came to my city and my home. He threatened my business and more importantly…my friends. I refuse to feel any remorse for defending myself," Josef stated heatedly. "Darius was losing touch with reality, we are all better off with him gone."

Silence hung in the air between them. Josef could see that Lance was not so much angry as he was frustrated.

"I am not your problem Josef. While I have not forgiven or forgotten your actions, revenge is not my desire."

Josef nodded, he recognized what Lance was unwilling to say.

"I know about Andre. He trailed around after us in Paris last night. Just what is your idiot brother plotting?"

"I do not know," Lance admitted reluctantly. "He is not sharing his plans with me." It bothered him to know just how much control he had lost over his younger brother.

"I am not threatened by Andre," Josef grinned as he looked past Lance. Inhaling slightly, Lance knew Mick St. John now stood behind him.

"Everything okay Josef?" Mick inquired.

"Just dandy Mick," Josef replied flippantly. "Lance, if you can find your wayward brother before he strikes, do so. Philippe deserves to have peaceful commitment."

Lance thought about his youngest brother and was surprised to find himself in agreement with Josef. While he could care less about the ceremony's significance, he did not object to it taking place. He truly believed that Andre intended to destroy tonight's party and he did not want Paul LaSalle and Giselle Beaumont to witness a family squabble. Looking over his shoulder, Lance was struck by how much St. John resembled a friend he had lost in the Reign of Terror. For a moment it seemed as if time had shifted and he envied the loyalty that Josef had from this young vampire.

"Josef, it is almost midnight. Philippe has gone to collect Cynthia. We are almost ready to begin," Mick informed them.

"I am ready," Josef replied. "Go back to Beth and calm Rayna down, I know she is worried." Mick nodded and left when he saw that Josef was in control of things. Josef cocked his head as he looked at Lance. "Are we finished Lance?"

"I don't like you Josef, I never have but my desire is not see your blood spilled at this ceremony. Make sure your visit to Europe is short. Darius may be gone but you still aren't welcome here," Lance said coldly.

"You break my heart Lance," Josef laughed lightly. "Don't worry, I'm finding my memories are better than the real thing. I have a good life in the US, I plan to stay there. Now go check on your brother and keep him from doing something stupid."

"Watch your back Josef," Lance growled and left the room.

Shaking his head, Josef turned to the wall to study a saber that was mounted there. A slight draft came from the direction of the door to the gardens and carried the scent of another vampire to him.

"Come in Andre," Josef instructed. He turned to watch Andre step free of the hanging curtains, dressed all in black in his knee length coat over a turtle necked sweater and slacks. A gun was held in one gloved hand and a saber tip could be seen below the hem of the coat. "Did you miss the dress code for the evening's festivities? That is not 18th century clothing…by the way, you just missed Lance."

"I heard. Lance is wrong; you must pay for Darius' death."

"You are kidding, right?" Josef laughed lightly. "Do you really think that I will stand here and let you shoot me? I am assuming you have loaded it with silver. I am not a fool." He took a couple steps back towards the wall as he spoke.

*M*M*

Lance left Josef and headed for the doors in the ballroom that led to the outside. He was positive that Andre was somewhere on the grounds but he did not know where. Raoul most likely could give him a clue to Andre's plans but there was no time to wring the information out of him. He strode out into the night.

Raoul watched Lance leave the ballroom and knew that time was short. He searched the room quickly and found Coraline off to one side, flirting with LaSalle. She had resisted his attempt to get her worked up over St. John earlier; he would have to renew his efforts. He was heading towards her when suddenly Claudine intercepted him.

"Raoul, leave Coraline alone," she stated firmly.

"Stay out of this Claudine," he ordered.

"No, she responded. "Let Coraline be happy with Paul. Let her forget that ex-husband of hers, he is happy with his new woman. Do not let Andre order you around," she pleaded.

Raoul looked at her in shock; she had never opposed his wishes before.

"Do not concern yourself with what Andre is doing. This does not involve you," he said curtly.

"Raoul….my love…please do not do as he asked. Lance is tolerating Josef, why can't we?" she asked, aware that they were in the center of the room and all eyes are beginning to turn to them.

"Josef killed Darius," Raoul spit out angrily.

"And since Darius has been gone, you have gained control of your life. Your business flourishes," she gently reminded him.

"Are you taking Josef's side?" he demanded angrily.

"No, I am on your side, my sire. But I am not blind, you are better off with Darius gone," she said boldly. Darius had always frightened her and she was happy he was no longer around. "Do not let Andre drag you down to his level."

The heated exchange brought the group over to the couple. Rayna heard Andre mentioned and she looked around anxiously. Glancing at the door that Josef had gone through, she felt a flutter of concern begin in her stomach. Leaving the group, she headed for Josef with Robert following her. Moriah stepped up to the couple, hoping to halt the argument and see if they could learn what Andre had planned.

"Let's not argue, the ceremony is about to begin," Moriah began.

"Madam…." Claudine spoke, deciding she needed the assistance of this older woman. "Raoul's brother plans to harm Josef. He must be stopped; it will destroy this evening's ceremony. Raoul's loyalty to his brother has blinded him to how misguided Andre is," Claudine tried to explain. She grasped Raoul's arm tightly, her eyes pleading for him to understand. "Forgive me Raoul but I cannot let Andre take you down with him."

"We are aware that Andre is plotting something," Moriah said trying to comfort her and ease Raoul's annoyance with her for speaking up. "He will not succeed in his plans." She glanced at where Robert had followed Rayna into the room. Mick hurried across the room to join them just as a shot rang out.

*M*M*

Rayna had burst into the room to discover Andre facing Josef with a gun in his hand. Josef had backed up to the wall, his gaze fastened on his opponent. Robert stopped just behind her.

"Josef," she breathed.

"Ah…your lady has come to the rescue," Andre smirked. "Tell me pretty one, are you faster than a bullet?"

"You will not shoot him," she growled, vamping fully. "I will tear your head off."

"She is quite the woman, Josef," Andre laughed. "It is a shame you won't enjoy her further."

"Don't be a fool Andre, you cannot pull this off," Josef snarled as he took a final step to the wall.

Raising his gun higher, Andre fired. Josef twisted to one side quickly while snatching the saber from the mount on the wall behind him. The bullet buried in the wall where Josef had stood a second before. Spinning around, Josef lunged forward, bringing the saber blade down flatly on Andre's wrist causing the gun to go flying away.

Roaring in rage, Andre tugged his sword free from under his coat and faced off against Josef. Moving swiftly, Robert wrapped his arms around Rayna's waist to keep her from inserting herself between the two men's steel blades. She struggled against his restraint, anger overwhelming her reason.

"Let go," she demanded.

"Josef can handle it," Robert soothed, not releasing his hold.

Mick raced into the room and assessed the situation quickly. He moved over to the chair that the gun had fallen under and retrieved it. He gave Rayna a reassuring look.

"Calm down, don't distract him," he advised and the ring of metal on metal drew their attention back to the two combatants.

End chapter.

**It looks like we have a sword fight on our hands. Let's hope that Josef has been practicing. Thanks for reading.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I never will and I do not claim that I have any rights to these characters other than my original ones. **

**So…..let's see how this fight turns out. After all there is a commitment to hold yet. Thanks to all who have read this story.**

Chapter 24

Andre and Josef circled each other, their blade tips touching. A smug smile spread over the Frenchman's face as he twisted his wrist, the tip of his blade circling Josef's saber.

"Have you been practicing Josef?" he sneered. "You look like you have gone soft."

"You always were rather dense," Josef snorted. "Think about it you idiot; I have handled a blade far longer than you. Take note Andre, if you get lucky, my friends will make you pay."

"As long as you pay for Darius, I don't care," Andre snarled as he lunged forward.

Josef blocked the blow and then counter-attacked, the tip of his blade piercing Andre's shoulder. The vampire hissed angrily, striking back carelessly. Josef easily fended him off and began to press him back to the wall. Andre gained control of his anger and proceeded to fight with more skill.

Mick shifted, keeping the gun trained on Andre. He had no intention of allowing the French vamp to get lucky against Josef; his friend would not die here.

The fight continued for a short while longer before Josef's strength and age began to give him an advantage. He truly did have a skill with the blade and he forced the taller vampire backwards, knocking the blade from his hand and then pushed Andre against a large cabinet near the door to the outside. He pressed his saber against Andre's throat tightly.

"Give me a good reason not to take your head," Josef growled angrily. He pushed the edge of the saber deeper into his enemy's neck, drops of blood appearing on the dark cloth of the turtleneck and staining the saber's blade.

"Josef…..maybe you should back off," Mick cautioned as he noticed the other guests were crowding into the room. Marius and Christophe held Raoul in a tight grip, preventing him from joining the fight.

"He wanted me dead, why shouldn't I return that favor?" Josef snarled between clenched teeth. His eyes gleamed silver as he pushed Andre tighter against the cabinet door.

"You are better than this Josef," Moriah said calmly as she stood next to Robert and Rayna. She touched Rayna's shoulder lightly. "Calm him child," she whispered.

Nodding, Rayna moved forward slowly, silk skirts rustling softly in the hush of the room.

"Josef, you've won," she soothed touching his shoulder lightly. "Think of Philippe and Cynthia. Don't ruin their night."

"Listen to her," Mick advised. He saw the anger in Raoul's eyes and was unsure just how Marius and Christophe would react if Andre was beheaded before their eyes. There was no guarantee that the brothers would not retaliate with violence.

For a few tense minutes Josef held his position, and then he relaxed and lowered his blade.

"Consider this your lucky night. Come after me again and I will take your head," he warned, his face close to Andre's. "Oh…and stay out of Los Angeles, you aren't welcome." He released Andre, turning from him to take Rayna's hand.

A low, guttural growl escaped Andre as he withdrew a silver dagger from an inner coat pocket, intent on ramming it into Josef's back. A gasp came from Rayna and Mick raised his gun, aiming for Andre's heart but before he could fire, a figure rushed in from the outside door and Lance drove a stake into Andre's chest. He quickly caught his brother and carefully lowered him to the floor.

Spinning around, Josef stared in surprise at Lance, still gripping the saber. He found his gaze locking onto Lance's one good eye.

"I would have staked you if you had insisted on beheading Andre," Lance told Josef as he straightened up. He favored Josef with a small half smile. "As it is….we can now continue this ceremony." He looked past Josef to where his youngest brother stood in the doorway with Cynthia by his side. "Philippe…Andre will not disturb things further. Shall we proceed with your commitment? I will clean up things here…later." He turned his gaze down into his staked brother's shocked eyes. "I did warn you Andre."

"Thank you Lance," Philippe said in relief. "Everyone….please, let's go to the other room and begin." He led Cynthia out to the ballroom.

The others followed; Marius made sure that Raoul walked out ahead of him while Beth, Mick and Rayna lingered behind with Josef and Lance. Beth moved over to Mick's side, eying Lance warily. Rayna tightened her grip on Josef's hand as he gave Lance a cocky grin.

"Nicely handled Lance, you saved face." He laughed lightly. "I must say, I am surprised by your choices."

"I do not need LaSalle and Giselle telling the community that the Duvall family has no control. Paris will know that I am head of this family, as Andre will appreciate when he has time to think on it," Lance said tersely. "Go do your duty for my brother; this does not make us friends."

Mick set the gun on a table and led Beth out of the room. Rayna and Josef followed after he set the saber back on its mount. He paused in the doorway, studying Lance and Andre and smiled slightly.

"My thanks anyway Lance," he said quietly and then left without waiting for a response.

Music had resumed playing softly and the guests had gathered before a white archway trimmed in pink roses over by the French doors to the outdoors. Tall, thick pink candles stood in holders on either side of the arch, burning brightly. Inside the arch was a small table holding a crystal goblet of blood.

Leaving Rayna standing with Mick and Beth, Josef took his place in the archway, standing next to the table. As the assembled group parted, Philippe escorted Cynthia forward to stand before him. The smile on Josef's face widened as he gazed at his old friend and the lovely woman he had chosen to share his forever with.

Clearing his throat, he looked around at the glittering assembly and remembered how life had been several centuries ago.

"I feel as if time has shifted and we are back when I first met Philippe and Cynthia. I would never have believed we would find ourselves once again in these clothes and reviving an old, honored custom. Your special night has begun with a bang and after a beginning like this I have no doubt you can handle any obstacle that appears before you." There was light laughter from those in the room. Philippe grinned back at Josef. Claudine had linked her arm through Raoul's and kept him still so he could not stalk away in anger. Marius and Giselle stood directly behind the couple.

"Our purpose here tonight is to bear witness to the promise that this couple wishes to make to each other. A commitment ceremony was created many centuries ago to give vampires a way to pledge their love to one another. This pledge is binding only in the fact that we are witness to it. Having made this same promise not so long ago, I can only approve of their choice to do this," he told them. He winked at Rayna who smiled back happily, her eyes glowing.

"Philippe, Cynthia…..you have given this choice very serious thought I am sure. Do you promise to care for and support each other and face forever together as one?" he asked.

"We do," they both responded.

"You have said you did not wish to exchange rings, do you have any other token to give each other?" Josef asked.

The couple nodded and Marius and Coraline each came forward to hand them a golden charm on a chain. They then handed the necklaces to Josef. He found himself admiring the disks with a Fleur de Lis etched in it. Their names were engraved on the back inside a heart.

"You give each other these charms as a symbol of the promise you just made to each other. Wear them in love," he instructed as he handed them back. They slipped them over each other's head. When finished, Josef held out the goblet of blood.

"Blood sustains our kind and it is with blood that we seal our promises. Drink to your vows," he told them, handing the glass to Philippe.

He drank first and then gave it to Cynthia. She took a drink and then handed it back. They exchanged sips until the goblet was empty and Cynthia handed it back to Josef. The pair joined hands.

"Cynthia my love, I am your sire but we have moved beyond that stage in our relationship. I want you to be my loving equal, a companion and lover to share the future with," he said earnestly.

Cynthia's eyes glowed happily as she stared up at him.

"I want nothing more than to share your future. We have had a turbulent past but now that we've found each other again, I only want to remain at your side," she responded.

Josef stepped forward and placed one hand above and one hand beneath their joined hands.

"Keep those promises to each other and remember how you felt this night if times become rough," he instructed seriously. Then he grinned impishly. "Come on Philippe…..kiss this lovely bride of yours." He stepped away from them.

"With pleasure," Philippe laughed and pulled Cynthia close into a heated kiss. Those watching applauded happily.

As he watched the couple seal their promises with a kiss, Josef found his gaze drawn to the door to the other room. Lance stood there, watching the proceedings. When he noticed Josef's eyes on him, he gave him a curt nod before stepping into the ballroom, pulling the door shut firmly behind him.

Moments later Rayna was in Josef's arms, praising his performance. He kissed her cheek and hugged her, feeling as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders. Moriah caught his eye and gave him a proud nod.

"I believe we have a party to get started," Josef announced to the others. He motioned to the servants to bring out the trays of blood and champagne. Everyone surged forward to congratulate the couple.

End chapter.

**So…let me know what you think. Did I surprise anyone? I am almost finished with this story….where did the time go? A few more chapters to wrap things up, after all there is some unsettled business to deal with. Thank you for reading.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I never have and never will but I do like playing with it.**

**Thank you for your continued support. This story is almost over but I have to include some finishing scenes. I hope you enjoy it.**

Chapter 25

"Nicely done Josef," Robert said stepping up and slapping him on the back.

"Thanks," Josef grinned. "It was rather satisfying to join those two kids."

"You did a lovely job boy," Moriah said as she joined them and handed a glass of champagne to Robert. "And I'm very proud of how you handled Andre."

"Well…..Rayna and Mick helped me to see reason otherwise we would have had a bloody commitment," Josef said, his eyes going cold. "Andre deserves to be punished."

"I can't wait to leave France," Rayna sighed, hugging him.

"I have to agree. I wanted to come here so much but I think I will be happy to head home," Beth said softly.

"Well New Orleans is our next stop," Mick reminded them. Both Rayna and Beth brightened up considerably at those words.

"Oh yes…..and Anthony and Charity's wedding. A celebration with less stress," Rayna laughed.

"Right, as if any wedding is stress free," Josef quipped, his mood becoming lighter.

"Do not be a cynic," Rayna scolded and took his hand. "I want to dance, come with me."

With a laugh, Josef allowed her to pull him out onto the dance floor. They moved smoothly over the floor, Rayna's skirts billowing around them.

"We need to practice," Beth told Mick.

"Then let's dance my lady," Mick suggested and led her out to join the dancers.

"Ah…the young know how to have fun," Robert commented.

"You have not forgotten my dear man," Moriah assured him. She handed their glasses to a passing servant and held out her hand. Accepting her gesture, Robert went with her to waltz.

Two dances later, Raoul stalked over to Lance after Paul LaSalle and Coraline left him alone. The couple went out to the gardens and Lance sipped a glass of brandy and blood. With Claudine following, Raoul stopped before his brother.

"How could you take Josef's side against your own brother?" he demanded angrily.

"I did not take Josef's side in anything. I prevented Andre from being shot in the heart with a silver bullet. Did you not see that St. John was about to fire when I stepped in? Andre should never have attacked Josef, not with LaSalle and Giselle Beaumont present as witnesses. I had warned him and I am the head of this family," Lance said sternly. "Do you question that Raoul?"

There was an awkward pause as Raoul considered answering but found he was unable to speak in the face of Lance's ire. Claudine slipped a hand into one of his and squeezed his fingers.

"Lance, Raoul still feels the loss of Darius acutely. It was easy to be swayed by Andre's passion for revenge," she spoke up bravely. "Raoul would never question your leadership of this family."

Shock was written over Raoul's face, seeing his wife in a whole new light. Lance also looked at her boldness with grudging respect.

"Your wife is a smart woman brother. Let us forget this disagreement and enjoy Philippe's celebration. The Duvalls must present a united front for the outsiders here," Lance commented and walked away.

"I apologize for speaking out of turn my love but Lance is right. This would have reflected badly on the family if Andre's plan had been successful," Claudine said softly.

"You surprise me Claudine. You should consider becoming a diplomat," Raoul said slowly. A small smile crossed his lips. "Come, let us get some champagne. I need to become reacquainted with my wife." He took her hand and led her towards a quiet corner.

"I would have loved to have heard that conversation," Josef commented to Marius from the opposite side of the room. "Raoul sure backed down in a hurry."

"He's hot-headed but he has always been afraid of Lance. Claudine is the one who surprises me. She's never stood up to Lance or Raoul before," Marius chuckled.

"Never underestimate a woman," Josef counseled.

Marius followed his gaze to where Rayna, Beth and Giselle were gathered around Cynthia, laughing.

"I will be careful not to," he promised.

Near the garden doors, Mick paused to glance around the room then stepped out into the night air, a glass of blood in his hand. Beth was with Rayna and he needed a moment away from the press of the Duvall family. He had seen Coraline and LaSalle return to the ballroom so he walked out into the starlight, sipping his drink. Like Beth had said earlier, he was ready to leave Europe.

Her scent floated out to him and he could not help tensing up as she approached. Anger coursed through him as he realized he had allowed himself to be caught alone.

"What do you want Coraline?" he asked, turning toward her with cold eyes.

"I wished to speak to you, to tell you how handsome you look tonight. You would have made a wonderful gentleman of the court," she answered, continuing to walk towards him.

"Thank you. You are lovely as always," Mick said shortly and attempted to move past her, towards the house.

"Mick," Coraline pleaded as she stepped before him to block his way. "Please…..let me finish."

"What more can we say to each other?" he asked and tried to continue around her. She moved in and took hold of his forearm, her eyes begging him to stay.

"Please…..let me speak."

"There is nothing more to say," he responded stiffly but didn't pull away.

"I do have more to say," she began slowly. "Mick, I love you…I always will. I know that my love is not returned, I would have to be blind not to see how you adore Beth." She paused to control her quivering voice. "I am jealous of that. I want you to know that I want to care for Paul and that I will not bother you and Beth again."

"How can I believe you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Because I want to be happy," Coraline replied sharply. "I do not want to be treated like some pathetic loser. I am tired of the pity in my brothers' eyes. I want to be desired and Paul does desire me," she said passionately and proudly.

Mick's stern look softened.

"I hope you get what you want Coraline," he said kindly. "I do not hate you and I just want this to end peacefully."

Coraline blinked back a few tears, his words hurt even though she was not surprised by them.

"Just remember I am your sire. We will always have that bond. No matter how much you wish to deny it, it is the truth," she stated.

"I won't deny it but it does not make me love you. Be happy with Paul, he deserves your whole heart," Mick advised as he gently removed her hand from his arm.

Coraline bit her lower lip and nodded with wet eyes.

"Be happy," she echoed and turned to go to the house. At the doorway she encountered Beth and for one moment she almost spoke to the younger woman. Then with a shake of her head she blinked back her tears and regally swept past her into the house, her head held high.

Beth went to Mick, concern written across her lovely face.

"How much did you hear?" he asked.

"Most of it. I saw her follow you out and came to listen," Beth answered with a small grin. She looked back at the house, her eyes shining with compassion. "I hope Paul can make her happy."

"I think he could if she would let him," Mick said reaching out for her. He caught her hands and drew her close. "I don't want to talk about her. I have you in the starlight and there is no one else I wish to share it with."

Beth giggled as she went up on her toes to receive a kiss from Mick. Any thoughts of where they were or who else was with them was meaningless, they had each other.

"Aren't they cute?" Josef said to Rayna as they stood in the doorway.

"Sometimes my love, you are like a little boy," Rayna sighed. She gazed up at him with loving indulgence. "I want my little sister happy and maybe now she can be. Finally Coraline knows she has lost." She found her attention drawn to where Coraline was dancing with Paul. The dark haired woman's attention was firmly centered on her handsome partner.

"I hope you are right Beauty. Mick deserves to be happy with Beth. And you and I will make sure that they have that chance."

"You say the sweetest things my love," Rayna answered happily.

"Children…leave the young ones alone," Moriah commanded from behind them. "We all deserve to conclude this night with some fun. Josef, you owe me a dance. Come boy; let us celebrate a beautiful commitment."

"As you wish Moriah," Josef laughed and taking her hand, he bowed deeply. "It would be my pleasure…..let's show these French how dance."

A small giggle escaped Rayna as Josef and Moriah swirled out onto the floor. She smiled up at Robert.

"Shall we see if we can keep up?" she invited, holding out her hand. He took it and brought her fingers to his lips, kissing them lightly.

"My lovely young woman, I would love to dance with you," Robert said gallantly. "It is time to celebrate."

He drew her into his arms and they moved out onto the dance floor, enjoying the music.

End chapter.

**You knew that I could not let things rest with Coraline. She is cooperating with me for now but then we know that often doesn't last. For now Mick and Beth have some peace. Thank you for reading.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. It is sad that I have to keep saying that over and over.**

**I must tell you that the support that I get on this site is very humbling. I hope I never run out of Moonlight stories just so I can spend time interacting with all of you.**

Chapter 26

Rayna and Josef had retired to one corner of the room to partake of some champagne when Paul LaSalle approached them.

"Kostan, I found your ceremony to be most interesting," Paul observed after he had halted in front of them. "This custom is one that would be worth reviving in this community."

"I think it holds far more meaning than using human rituals. That whole…."till death do you part" business just rings too hollow," Josef grinned. He looked at Rayna lovingly. "I am looking forward to much more than one lifetime with Rayna."

"I understand why you would wish that. Forgive my being too personal but you are a beautiful and capable woman Rayna," Paul said with a gallant bow.

"That is very kind and a woman never turns down a compliment so nicely delivered," Rayna answered with a smile. "Now please forgive me, I have something that I wish to discuss with Moriah." She headed over to her friend, sensing that Paul had something else that he wished to discuss with Josef.

"You are a fortunate man Josef," Paul said watching her go. He knew that she had sensed he wished to speak alone with Josef. "She is very intuitive." He let his gaze travel over to where Coraline was speaking with Cynthia and Philippe. "Tell me Josef, how do I capture and hold Coraline's attention? I understand that at one time you were close to her."

"Darius would have liked us to be a couple," Josef acknowledged. "We were not suited for each other. I can only tell you that you have your work cut out for you if you wish to win Coraline. You must overcome her obsession with Mick."

"I can do far more for her than that young one," Paul stated intensely.

"I am sure you can," Josef agreed with an amused smile. "And Mick would be the first to congratulate you if you can. Others have tried but she keeps coming back after him."

Paul looked to the dance floor where Mick and Beth were dancing slowly in each other's embrace. He had been impressed with how St. John had handled himself in conflict with Andre Duvall. The young vampire had been very much in control in his efforts to support his friend.

"Do you believe she can be convinced to let him go?" Paul mused.

"Well it is not like Mick is encouraging her. He has rejected her every way possible including attempting to burn her. Sooner or later she should get the message," Josef replied.

Before Paul could ask any more questions, Coraline approached them, eager to see what Josef could be telling Paul. She swept up to them and smiled brightly at Josef.

"You did an amazing job with the ceremony Josef. Cynthia and Philippe are so very pleased," she declared sweetly. Reaching up she stroked the ruffle of Josef's shirt front and then turned to Paul and linked her arm through his possessively. "I had forgotten how dashing you were in court clothing Josef."

"Thank you Coraline. You always were one of the most beautiful women at court," Josef responded with a slight bow. "You look lovely tonight. Court always suited you." He remembered how the backstabbing and intrigue of the French court had always blended perfectly with Coraline's nature.

"But alas….Josef always preferred blondes," Christophe laughed as he and Michelle walked up. "He never fell for dear Coraline's charms." Coraline glowered at her brother for his interruption.

"Yes…..blondes, that was Josef's weakness…it managed to get him banished from Europe," she said lightly and smiled up at Paul.

"Which was America's gain…and mine," Rayna spoke up from behind Coraline. The minute she saw Coraline head over to the men she could not resist coming back to see what she was up to. She went to Josef's side and took his hand in both of hers. She had seen the brief flash of pain in his eyes at the insult about his banishment. "I am so very fortunate to have him find me back then." She met Coraline's gaze and nodded ever so slightly. Deciding to try Beth's method of handling Coraline she turned a bright smile on the brunette. "Coraline does wear the fashions of that time with such style. Paul, you really are a handsome match for her. Sadly during that time in history I had only the plain clothing of the Colonies to wear. It wasn't until I met Josef that I acquired some of the finer dresses to wear. And nothing like this lovely thing," she said smoothing one hand over the silk of her burgundy dress. "I feel like a queen."

Josef stroked his hand up her arm and let it run along the smooth skin of her shoulder. He left it there in a gesture of possession.

"You do look so very lovely in that gown Rayna. Your skin is flawless," Michelle said in admiration.

"Thank you. The yellow suits your coloring perfectly," Rayna returned the compliment.

"I think that all of you women are lovely," Christophe spoke up. "You out-shine the moon. We are lucky men to have you as our companions."

"We are indeed," Josef agreed as Paul nodded.

When Rayna had left her to go to Josef, Moriah noticed that Lance was standing away from the rest of the guests, near one set of garden doors. She headed over towards him and when she got closer he regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

"Madam? May I help you with something?"

"Please Lance, do not be so formal," Moriah said in amusement. "You did the right thing with Andre tonight. Josef's death would not have brought Darius back and revenge is a hollow victory. It would have also destroyed Cynthia and Philippe's commitment. I suspect that was part of his plan from what Cynthia has told us about his past behavior towards her. For that alone, a staking is fitting punishment and as head of the Duvall family you had no other choice."

"I did what was necessary," Lance answered stiffly. "I could care less if I saved Josef's life."

"Of course," Moriah agreed with a faint smile. She felt Lance wasn't as disinterested in Josef's life as he stated but she would not put the proud vampire on the spot. Josef had always represented what Lance wished to have; Darius had always favored Josef over Lance. Josef may have killed Darius but the old vampire had gone all the way to Los Angeles to try to reclaim his favored son. "I always felt you had great potential that Darius didn't see at first."

Surprise flared in Lance's good eye at her statement. When he had first met this woman of color in Rome so long ago he had been rude to her. He was aware at the time that her master was as old and powerful as Darius and that Moriah was far older than him but the smugness of his royal blood led him to feel superior. In the following years he had learned the mistake of misjudging people based solely on skin color and sex. Now he looked at Moriah with greater respect than in the past and was strangely pleased by her comments.

"Your words surprise me Madam."

"My name is Moriah, there is no reason to stand on formality with me Lance," she chided him gently.

"As you wish…..Moriah," Lance acknowledged with a brief nod. Suddenly he found himself at a loss for words.

"If you ever visit the United States again, you might want to consider a stop in New Orleans. You will find my city can be very entertaining," Moriah said with a twinkle in her eye before she started to turn to leave.

"I will consider your invitation…..if I ever return," Lance said quietly. With a satisfied nod, Moriah moved away to join Robert who was with Marius and Giselle. He watched her go feeling very unsettled. It had never been easy for Lance to accept different viewpoints on life. He was a vampire who liked to maintain his beliefs with no opposition. Now both Josef and Moriah were forcing him to see things from a different perspective and it bothered him. It would be very good to see these guests return to America as quickly as possible.

*M*M*

Mick was guiding Beth over the dance floor as the final song of the night played. The sky was just beginning to lighten in the pre-dawn hours. Beth felt like a princess as she danced with Mick in her lovely blue dress. The blue sapphire hung around her neck sparkling in the candlelight and she was surprised that she wasn't tired in the least.

"This seems like a dream," she murmured softly. "I feel like I'm in the middle of a fairy tale."

"You are my princess," Mick replied with a gentle smile.

"I can see it now…..the Vampire Princess," Beth giggled. "What a title for a book."

"Perhaps you should consult with our author friend and see what you could create," Mick suggested.

"Don't tempt me," Beth laughed as he swung her around.

Watching the couple embrace as the song ended, Cynthia could see that Philippe was watching them closely.

"Does she bring back memories for you?" she asked quietly. She did not need to explain, dressed that way Beth was the spitting image of Philippe's human wife.

"Only good memories," he answered. He looked down at her and took her hands in his. "I do not mourn Marie-Teresa. My human life is in the past. I only want a future with you," he added looking deep into her eyes.

"I don't doubt that. I just remember seeing you two before all the changes."

"You are my life now Cynthia. I am your sire but you are my forever," he said and pulled her close for a kiss. Cynthia responded with her whole soul as her arms went around his neck.

"Philippe, Cynthia," Lance said coming up to them. "I feel I must apologize for Andre's actions this evening." The couple broke apart.

"It is okay Lance; you are not responsible for his actions. It has all turned out okay," Philippe rushed to reassure him. "We are grateful that you stopped it from becoming worse."

"I stepped in to save his foolish life," Lance said with a shrug. "I kept St. John from shooting him."

"Still…..we are grateful brother. Stop trying to pretend you don't care about any of us, we are family," Philippe smiled.

"I wish you well little brother, enjoy your future with Cynthia," Lance said brusquely. "I will see to Andre's removal. Raoul will assist me in taking him away from your home."

"Thank you Lance," Philippe replied, knowing just how difficult it was for his oldest brother to show he cared. Maybe this was the beginning of a new relationship with his brother. He hoped so.

End chapter.

**Thank you for reading. I believe we have one more chapter to go. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. Sadly I will never own it but I do love borrowing it on occasion.**

**Thank you so much for all the kind reviews throughout this story. It is always sad to say goodbye to a story but the time has come. Enjoy the last chapter.**

Chapter 27

The sun was streaking red, orange and purple as it hit the horizon the Saturday evening after the commitment. With darkness falling, the country house slowly began stirring, getting prepared for the trip back to Paris. Robert and Moriah were the first to head downstairs to feed. The staff had set out chilled carafes with several blood types and an array of lovely crystal goblets.

"Are you happy that we came here?" Robert asked as he savored a glass of A positive.

"Very much so," Moriah replied with a smile. "It has been a largely pleasant experience. I was particularly proud of Josef and how he handled last night."

"I was concerned for a moment that he would still take Andre's head. He was angry enough to do it," Robert responded seriously.

Moriah nodded, her dark eyes reflecting her own feelings on the subject. Last night she had feared that Josef would not heed Rayna's words and that the incident would end bloody. The Duvalls might have retaliated with violence and the evening would have become a total disaster. She had been relieved that Josef had listened to Rayna and Mick and didn't allow his anger to rule him.

"It was a good thing that he listened to reason," she agreed.

"Do you know what I wish?" Robert said suddenly, a small smile playing on his lips. He wanted to wipe the serious look off his lady's face.

"What do you wish my dear man?" Moriah asked curiously.

"I would love to take you on a European tour, just the two of us," he answered with a twinkle in his eyes.

A hearty laugh burst forth from Moriah and she set her glass aside to slip her arms around his neck. She leaned in to kiss him gently.

"That would be heaven," she whispered.

Setting his own glass aside, Robert wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body tightly to him. The next kiss was longer and with more passion.

"It is so refreshing to see our elders have not become staid and boring," Josef's voice intruded on the kiss. The pair separated to see Josef grinning at them while Rayna poured two glasses of blood.

"We must always be ready to set a good example," Moriah responded with a smug smile. Her left hand remained possessively on the back of Robert's neck.

"Ignore him," Rayna suggested as she handed Josef a glass. "He is always teasing and definitely jealous when someone beats him to public displays of affection."

"Of course…I crave attention," Josef smirked.

"Oh my darling…..I see I must work much more diligently to keep you satisfied," Rayna teased as she kissed his cheek quickly.

"Beauty, you always satisfy me," Josef responded honestly, one arm slipping around her waist to draw her close to his side.

Rayna giggled and this time she kissed his lips slowly, letting her lips linger on his.

"Rayna….I spoke to Anthony a little earlier," Moriah said with a smile when they finally broke apart. "Charity has everything in place for their wedding. She is a remarkable woman, the service will be held next Saturday night."

"I am so excited," Rayna replied. "Charity is so perfect for Anthony."

"They are a good pair," Moriah nodded.

"And what is the word on our newest fledgling?" Josef asked.

"Anthony has not seen much of her or Tyson, he says they are busy," Moriah said becoming concerned. "I sense some type of trouble is brewing, it is not like Tyson to not contact me at some point in our visit here."

"He has a fledgling to attend to Granny," Rayna grinned. "I think that Savannah is a big distraction."

"Even that has not kept him from touching base with me," Moriah replied.

"We are heading home at 2AM, you will see him soon," Josef said calmly. "If you are so worried, call him."

"I do not wish to make him worry but I read the cards after speaking with Anthony, something is in the wind," the older woman answered. "But Josef is right, we are leaving this morning, we will be home soon enough."

"Maybe Beth has spoken to Savannah recently," Rayna suggested knowing how close the two women were.

"Just where are our star-crossed lovers?" Josef asked curiously. "Don't tell me they are still in the freezer."

"They are in the gardens," Philippe announced as he and Cynthia walked into the room, holding hands. "We saw them from the windows upstairs. I think they are much happier now that Coraline has released Mick."

"We hope that she has. We all know how she changes her mind," Rayna said under her breath.

"She wants to let him go, she is trying," Cynthia said quickly jumping to her friend's defense. "I think she really wants to let Paul fill the void."

"We all hope that," Robert said swiftly, preventing Rayna from saying anything more. He didn't want the conversation to focus on Coraline at this late date. It was not the finish of this visit to be tainted by a debate on Coraline Duvall's behavior. There would never be total agreement on the woman among this group. "Cynthia and Philippe, thank you for the lovely time. This visit was wonderful."

"Thank you Robert," Cynthia said in relief. She appreciated the change of subject. "It really was a magical night and we are so happy that you could share it with us." For Philippe's sake she would not say out loud that seeing Andre staked was a highlight for her. It seemed appropriate after all the pain he had caused her in the past. "I understand that Anthony and Charity are getting married, please give them our best wishes."

"Of course Cynthia," Moriah replied. "I am sure they would love to have you attend the wedding. It is next Saturday night."

"New Orleans is a wonderful honeymoon spot," Rayna grinned.

"That is a great suggestion but we must decline. I'm taking Cynthia to Japan tomorrow. She has never been to the far East," Philippe answered as Cynthia looked at him in surprise and delight.

"You really know how to score points with your lady," Josef laughed. "That is a brilliant idea. Enjoy yourselves." The others nodded as it was clear to see how this was a wonderful surprise for Cynthia.

"Oh I plan to make sure that we enjoy ourselves," Philippe assured them as he hugged Cynthia.

*M*M*

Out in the fragrant gardens, Mick and Beth strolled along in the waning light. Low level lighting was coming on along the paths as the shadows deepened in the twilight. Beth paused, pulling Mick to a stop and looked up at him with a twinkle in her eye.

"What a lovely end to our visit. It is memories of moments like this that will make me think fondly of France," she sighed. "It really has been more good than bad."

Mick withdrew his phone from his pocket and thumbed the photo button, bringing up a photo to show Beth. She could see it was snapshot of a painting, a lovely woman in a white wig and dressed in the fashions of the French court in the 1700s. The woman could have been Beth.

"This was hanging in the room that we dressed in last night. It is Marie-Teresa but it could be you," he explained.

"Oh my….it could be. Do you think Cynthia is okay with this?" Beth asked in fascination.

"I believe it is Philippe's touchstone with his human past. He also had a painting of Claire hanging in there. I know that Philippe adores Cynthia and there is a very lovely framed photo of her hanging over the fireplace in the room as well. I don't think Cynthia resents the memory," Mick said thoughtfully. "These are the important women in his life. Different loves."

"As you have two different loves," Beth observed softly.

"I don't love Coraline," Mick said defensively.

"I understand that Mick," Beth reassured him quickly. "But there was a time when you did and she is your sire. There will always be that connection, no matter how we feel about that fact. BUT….my love, I know that you love me and we are united for eternity. She will come to accept that fact in time, she has no choice."

Mick gathered her close, bringing his mouth down to cover hers. Beth pulled herself closer to him, molding her body against him, kissing him wholeheartedly in response. Her heart was full of love for this wonderful man. Moments passed before they broke apart.

"I don't deserve you," Mick said roughly.

"Now stop that," Beth chided. "I don't want to hear that anymore. You are my world, the only man I want," she added with a sweet smile. "Now let's go feed and then finish packing. I am ready to head to New Orleans. Just wait until you see the dress I found for the wedding."

"I am looking forward to that," Mick said with a small grin. "You are lovely in anything you wear."

They headed back to the house, in a hurry to return to Paris and then fly back to the United States. It was time to leave France. Lance had removed Andre from the house but they had no idea if he had released his hot-headed brother from the staking.

The luggage was sent ahead to the jet and the eight friends gathered at the Paris house to say goodbye. Promises were made to visit each other soon and Beth found herself enveloped in Philippe's tight embrace. She cherished the relationship that had developed between her and her ancestor, it gave her a sense of family she hadn't had in a long time. With the goodbyes said, the six visitors headed to the airport, ready to see what was waiting for them in New Orleans.

End story.

**I humbly thank all of you for reading my story. It is always sad to end one but this is not the true end as I have another story spinning in my head. I do hope you will read Cajun Secrets when I post it.**


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